The Jungle Fanfic
by MeganKoumori
Summary: Arnold, Helga, and crew go on a quest to find Arnold's parents. Will Stella and Miles finally be rescued? Will Helga confess her love? And what of the doubts his classmates harbor? Chapters 25 thru Epilog up.
1. Prolog

Special thanks to Craig Bartlett, and Kim Burk and everyone else on the HA! message board. I dedicate this to you.

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Prolog:

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The moon was full, but passing clouds obstructed its brilliant glow. Down below, the jungle looked peaceful, but the rainforest is never truly at rest, but very much alive with activity. While one creature sleeps, another feasts. While one feasts, another flies. And when another flies, others journey into the deepest, darkest part of the forest, where not even the oldest inhabitants of the jungle dare to venture.

"Careful, Son," Whispered the blonde man to the lad at his side. "After that last scrape on the mountain, I think your mom's a bit tense."

The boy nodded and looked at his mother. Her red lips were drawn together tightly and she was still not speaking to Dad. Not that he blamed her at all. After all, what had happened on the mountain was Dad's fault. Trying to make lunch from that eagle's eggs! What a bad idea! The mother eagle had chased them down the mountain for a quarter mile before giving up.

"It's getting late." He said. "Maybe we should turn in. After all, if we get too tired, we could make a mistake and…"

There was the rustle of leaves and then a scream. When he turned, they were gone.

"Mom! Dad! Where are you?" All he could see was the jungle, stretching out before him, growing darker and darker.

"Arnold!" It was then that he saw the fingers sticking out of the ground. They hadn't disappeared! They had just fallen in a pit that was all! "Arnold!" Called his father. "Hurry! We can't hold on much longer!"

"Please Arnold!" His mother added.

Crouching at the hole, he could see them grasping on for dear life. He extended his fingers towards them. "I got you! Just grab on!"

With gritted teeth, his father let go of the wall and reached up to take the boy's hand. "That's it, Dad! It's only a little further…NO!" His screams were futile. The man and his wife plummeted down the murky chasm never to be seen by human eyes again.

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He woke in a cold sweat, which was a new sensation for him. Checking his potato-powered clock, he could see the time was only four past six, too early for anything on television besides crazy ladies selling miracle pills. He wasn't hungry for breakfast, either.

Turning over, he thought about his dream. It wasn't the first dream he had had about his parents, but it was certainly one of the more vivid.

He hated the dreams where his parents disappeared. He liked happy dreams with clouds and horses.

The rising sun was coming through the skylight, now, making him squint. What was the last thing his father said? Oh yeah. Hurry, we can't hold on much longer.

_We can't hold on much longer…_

He sat bolt right up in bed. The dream was a message! It had to be! They wanted him to come! It all made sense! This dream and the map he had found last night…

Getting out of bed, and nearly tripping over his twisted sheets as he did, he pulled out his desk drawer. The map from father's journal was on the top, outlining the last journey his parents took in San Lorenzo.

"Yes!" He quietly cheered to himself. It was all coming together now! The discovery of the map and the dream! It was all too much to be a coincidence!

With that in mind, he began to write. He wrote to all the sponsors, clubs, and organizations he read about. Anyone he thought would listen. Anyone else would have done this halfheartedly. Not him. He had always been an optimist and a dreamer with the best of faith in everyone. And that is why he was not surprised when he got a letter in the mail from the T. Roberson Society.


	2. Chapter 1

1

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"Class, please, settle down!" Mr. Simmons called to his students. The kids seemed unusually high-strung this morning, not to mention loud. The teacher rubbed his balding head and mumbled to himself, "Let's see, Helga's here, Gerald's here, Eugene's getting his stitches removed at the…No! No!" He half stood. "Curly, that purple paint is not grape flavored, please put it back in the cabinet! Thank you. Now, Nadine's here, Stinky's here, Arnold's…hmm…" Mr. Simmons checked every desk. "Where's Arnold?"

The door flew opened. "Here I am, Mr. Simmons!"

"Oh, Arnold!" Mr. Simmons nodded. "You're not usually tardy!"

"Sorry Mr. Simmons, but I have great news!" The blonde boy approached the desk and handed the teacher a letter. "I wrote to this place called the T. Roberson Society and they wrote back! They said they'd fly us to San Lorenzo, all expenses paid! Isn't that wonderful?"

"I've heard of them." Said Mr. Simmons. "Don't they usually do this for high school students in Honors Biology?"

"Yeah Football Head?" Helga interrupted. "What'd you do? Promise we'd cure a tropical disease or something?" The class laughed, but Helga's blood ran cold when Arnold looked her way. He had never looked at her that way before. As far she knew, he had never looked at anyone that way, and it gave her heebie-jeebies.

"Well, Arnold?" Mr. Simmons brought him back to Earth.

The boy looked at his teacher for a moment, then at his classmates. Should he tell them the truth? These were his friends, after all, the people he had known his whole life. Sure, Harold and Helga may be a pain sometimes, but they didn't mean any harm. Not really anyway. He might as well trust them.

"It's because of my parents." Arnold finally said. It suddenly became very quiet, the quietest it had been all year. "You see, they were doctors down in South America, and they used to have all sorts of adventures! San Lorenzo was the last mission they were supposed to take, but they never came back. I thought maybe if I went to San Lorenzo, I could find them. But the T. Roberson Society will only sponsor us if the whole class goes. So will you?" He looked around the room. "Please?"

"Oh Arnold!" Mr. Simmons looked as if he was going to cry. "That is truly the most touching story I have ever heard! Yes, yes! Of course we will go, won't we class?"

Everyone cheered. The rejoicing was thunderous, so no one heard Sid lean over to Stinky and say, "Can you believe that baloney Arnold's trying to pull?"

"I know." Stinky replied. "What a bunch of hogwash! Everyone knows Arnold's parents got abducted by aliens!"

"Gimmee a break, Stinky!" Sid snapped. "They're obviously mobsters on the run!"

"Well, whoever they is," Stinky looked at Arnold in the front of the room, "They ain't no doctors from San Whozwhatitzit!"

"Got that right!" Sid agreed. "But at least we're getting out of class for this!"

"Darn tootin'!"


	3. Chapter 2

2

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In the stall of the girl's room, Helga pulled her legs up on the porcelain bowl, a most uneasy position, and sat back. "Arnold," She snorted. "What a cheerful little dreamer! What a-happy-head-in-the-clouds-every-thing-will-work-out irritating little twerp! How I hate him! And yet…" She reached into the pocket in her jumper and pulled out her locket. "I love him!" She traced the football head with her finger.

"His unyielding faith in others! His optimistic view that everything will always turn out right! And now, my sweet," She pushed the locket back in her pocket, "Now that I know the truth of your parent's mysterious absence, I will be free! Free to nurture through your lonely longings and…"

BANG BANG BANG! "Hey!" Someone shouted, pounding ferociously on the stall door. "How long are you going to take? Some of us have lives to get back to, you know!"

"Ok, ok!" Helga jumped off and flushed. "Criminy!" She glared as she swung open the door. "Hrrmph!"

---

"I'm telling you guys, Arnold made it all up!" Sid said at the lunch table. Helga had just walked up behind the table with her tray, and hearing his words made her freeze.

"Now why would Arnold do that?" Gerald argued. "He's never lied before!"

"Gerald's right!" Nadine agreed as Helga sat down next to Phoebe. "Why would he make up some bogus story about his parents just to win a free trip to San Lorenzo? Sounds pretty fishy to me!"

Lila spoke up. "Much as I have the utmost faith in Arnold, I have to agree with Sid. Arnold's story just seems ever so farfetched!"

_This can't be happening,_ Helga thought, stirring her food with her Spork. _Not Arnold! I was so sure he was telling the truth! But what if he wasn't? Could it be that after all this time my angel has a hidden darkness?_

"Well, perhaps Arnold does believe in the story!" Phoebe took a bite of her fish teriyaki and swallowed. "Perhaps Arnold has deluded himself into believing that this fantasy about his parents is reality. It has been known to happen from time to time."

"Whatever the case," Gerald said, "We can't say a word to Arnold! It would kill him, you guys got it? Plus we won't get to go San Lorenzo!"

"Sh!" Said Nadine, holding a finger to her lips. "Here he comes!"

"Hey guys!" Arnold smiled as he walked up to the table.

"Hey Arnold." Everyone nodded.

"So you guys excited about the trip? I know I am! I can't wait to start looking for my parents!"

The other kids nodded and mumbled into their food. But they were all thinking the same thing: Was Arnold really telling the truth?


	4. Chapter 3

3

The trip was scheduled for the week of the sixteenth of that month. Arnold raced around his room, grabbing clothes, shoes, bug spray and anything else he thought he might need. The door creaked open and Grandpa poked his head in.

"Hey there Short Man," He eyed the backpack on the bed. "Whoa there! How long are you going, a week or…" He stopped himself just before saying forever. The elder man knew that wouldn't be the right word.

"I wish you could go with me, Grandpa." Arnold said, packing a Purdy Boys Mystery that he'd already read. His Grandfather waved him off.

"Aw, I've been to San Lorenzo, Arnold. I don't need to go again." He smiled then grew serious. "Arnold, sit down on the bed." He patted the spread.

He looked at his grandson for a long minute before starting. "Arnold, I want you to be careful out there. I…we…your Grandmother and I lost your father and mother, and we don't want to lose you either, understand." He scratched the back of his bald head. "I guess, what I'm trying to say is, come back in one piece, ok?"

Arnold's eyes filled with love for the man who had taken him in, the man who could have easily sent him away, but choose to raise him as his own. "Don't worry, Grandpa, I will, and as for Mom and Dad, I'm going to bring them back! We'll be a whole family again!"

"Yeah, about that," Grandpa cleared his throat. "Arnold, don't be too disappointed if you don't find them. I mean I know you want to, but remember, there were search parties all over that jungle in the weeks after they disappeared!"

"Yeah, but I got this!" Arnold pulled the map out of his pocket and placed it in his grandfather's bony hand.

"Well, that would certainly give you an advantage!" Grandpa admitted as he looked over the creased paper. He handed it back to Arnold and stood. At the door, he gave a short wave. "Good luck Arnold."

"Thanks Grandpa." Arnold put the map in the backpack and nearly closed it. Then he changed his mind. Climbing on his bed, he pulled out one of his drawers and retrieved two things: His photo of his parents and his father's journal.

Sitting down on the bed he opened the journal to a blank spot. _If I'm going on my own adventure,_ He reasoned, _I'll need to write everything down just like Dad did. I'm going to continue the journal! That way Dad can read about my adventures the way I read about his!_


	5. Chapter 4

4

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"All right, kids!" Mr. Simmons buckled his seat belt. "Listen to the nice steward with the wavy blond hair! He's giving instructions!"

It was almost time for take off. If the kids in Mr. Simmons class weren't asleep, they were bouncing up and down in anticipation, waiting for the long awaited flight.

_Well, here we are in coach, and we don't even get window seats._ Helga sat back in her seat. _At least I managed to score a seat next to Arnold._ She smiled dreamily at him, but then he turned back and looked at her.

"What?" She snapped. "What are you looking at, Football Head?" She growled. "Isn't this just peachy? I get stuck next to you all the way to South America!"

"Would you like to trade with someone else?" He asked.  
"No don't bother." She muttered. "The sign just came on that says we aren't allowed to get up."

"Hey Mr. Simmons! When do we eat? I'm hungry! I'm really, really hungry!" Harold whined.

"Brainy has fallen asleep and is drooling on my new shirt! Can someone please move him off me! I refuse to touch his greasy skin!" Rhonda declared.

Helga twisted around to look at the other kids. "Can you believe that we have to spend the next five hours with these characters?"

"It won't be so bad." Arnold said reassuringly.

"I hope you're right, Arnoldo." Helga rubbed her unibrow. "I hope you're right."

---

Hours passed. Arnold pulled out his mystery. Helga rolled her eyes. "Purdy Boys? Oh please! Those are so corny!"

"Maybe." Arnold answered. Helga reached into her bag.

"At least I've got a smart way to drown out the noise!" She said smugly, placing her headphones on her ears, then closing her eyes. Arnold closed his book and pulled the journal.

_It's been three hours since take off,_ He wrote. I_ didn't think it was possible, but Helga's actually been a pretty good seatmate, except for when she hogs the armrest. As for the rest of the class, I think everyone else is getting a little…antsy._

Arnold looked around. Everyone was yelling something.

"I'm still hungry!"

"Um, Eugene's got his head caught between the foldout tray and the seat!"

"I'm ok."

"Mr. Simmons, the steward said he isn't dating anyone! Why do you want to know?"

"Oh my," Mr. Simmons took a deep breath. "Ok, settle down, kids! We're half way through this flight so…Hey wait!" The teacher stood. "Where's Curly? His clothes are here, and there are airline pillows stuffed in them, but…" There was wild laughter from the outside of the plane.

"There he is, Mr. Simmons!" Sheena pointed to the window. "He's on the wingtip, and, um, oh…" The tall girl blushed. "He's not wearing his unmentionables…"

Mr. Simmons ran over to the window. "Curly!" He screeched.

"Feel the wind!" Curly shouted, flashing his bare bottom to the world. "Oh the exuberance! Oh the liberation! Whoopee!"

"Curly, stay where you are!" Mr. Simmons nearly tripped as he raced down the aisle. "Steward!"

Helga pulled off her headphones as the teacher rushed past her. "What happened?"

Arnold shook his head and sighed. "Trust me. You don't want to know."


	6. Chapter 5

5

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"That was the longest, most uncomfortable flight I've ever been on!" Helga snarled at the gate.

"Don't get your undies in a bunch, Helga." Said Gerald, yawning. "At least we're here. San Lorenzo! Boy, I didn't think we'd ever make it!"

"Well," Rhonda sniffed. "I just hope the car we're traveling by has enough room for all my luggage, plus all the things I'm going to buy from the jungle gift shop! Daddy let me borrow his credit card!"

"Oh Criminy." Helga groaned. "Don't tell me. You packed twelve designer outfits, all your makeup, ten cell phones, and eighteen pairs of one of a kind shoes!"

Rhonda glared at the blonde. "Don't make fun!"

"Rhonda, Babe, Mr. Simmons said we were only supposed to pack the things on his list." Gerald made quotes with his fingers. "The 'necessities!'"

Rhonda fired back, "For your information they are necessities!"

Helga smirked. "Oh yeah, well, for your information, there is no car!"

Rhonda's self-assured face melted like a summer snow cone. "Excuse me?"

---

Mr. Simmons was calling for the class's ride when he felt Arnold tug on his shirt. "Mr. Simmons are we going to start searching for my parents tonight?"

"I don't think so, Arnold. You see, everyone's tired." He gestured. Arnold looked at his peers. Most of them looked about ready to fall over. Some had even crawled in the airport seats and dozed off.

"Ok, Mr. Simmons." He nodded. "To tell the truth, I'm a little tired too."

"All right, Arnold, go take a seat." Mr. Simmons finally got someone on the other end. "Hello? Hello?"

---

"No car?" Rhonda snapped at Helga as Arnold dragged his feet over to where the other kids were. "What do you mean no car?"

"That's what I said, Sister!" Helga shot. "We're walking! I heard Mr. Simmons say so! Guess you'll be dragging that luggage around yourself!"

Rhonda almost looked ready to blow smoke out of her ears. "This is an outrage! I am a Lloyd! Lloyd don't carry their own things!" She turned to her best friend in the chair behind her. "Nadine! You'll carry my things, right?"

"Mmm, mmm," Nadine mumbled sleepily. "Gonna be too busy…collecting…insects…"

Rhonda shook her fists in fury. "Ooh!"

Mr. Simmons joined the group. "Ok, those of you who are awake, our bus is coming to get us. Then we'll be ready to start on the adventure of our lives!"

Arnold smiled sluggishly. _All right!_ He thought. _Mom and Dad, we're on our way!_


	7. Chapter 6

6

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The rain poured in torrents as the little bus drove along the dirt road, hitting every bump and hole with tremendous force. Arnold's football face was pressed against the dusty window as he slumbered. Helga peeked over the seat behind him.

"Slumber well, Fair Prince, and may all your dreams be as sweet as you."

She whispered.

_Wheeze, wheeze, wheeze…_

Helga reared back her fist in to Brainy's face then sat back to catch up on her own sleep.

The bus lurched, waking Arnold. The boy blinked and rubbed his eyes. Next to him, Gerald paused his Gameboy.

"Hey, Arnold. How'd ya sleep, pal?"

"Not so good." Arnold shook his head. "I had the weirdest dream about this crazy guy named Herb. He kept squeezing my head, trying to see if money would come out of it. When it didn't, he locked me in a box and forgot about me."

"Ah, don't take it too seriously." Gerald said. "It was just a dream."

"Yeah, good thing." Agreed Arnold.

The bus continued its path, jerking violently as if it would fall apart. Even so, the exhausted kids continued to doze, unaware of anything except their own dreams.

---

The next thing the class knew, the sun was shining and the bus had stopped. "Um, oh, _Mucho Gracioso, Senorita_," Mr. Simmons fumbled in his Spanish-English dictionary. "_Yo Como _Telemundo _para el_ _desayuno_…"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." The driver rolled his eyes. "Just go. I'm on the clock, Dude."

"Oh, ok." Mr. Simmons cleared his throat. "Kids, time to go! Come on, don't forget anything!"

Arnold slung his backpack over his shoulder. "Ow!" He turned around. "Helga quit pushing!"

"Well, quit being so slow!" She elbowed her way past, taking full advantage of her height. "Dumb Football Head!"

_What_ is _her problem?_ Arnold grumbled silently as he followed her. _I'll never understand Helga Pataki as long I live._

---

"Single file please! All right!" Mr. Simmons counted heads. "Ok, kids, now listen to me closely! I'm only going to say this once! This jungle is very dangerous! There will be no wandering off! Everyone will use the buddy system at all times!"

"Even to go wee-wee?" Harold called. Some kids snickered.

Mr. Simmons flushed and tugged on his shirt collar. "Well, um, you don't have to watch! Go behind a tree! The point is, I don't to lose any of my very special students in the…Oh." He shot a glance at Arnold. "Just don't leave the group, got it?"

"Yes, Mr. Simmons." Chorused twenty-five voices.

"Now let's see," The teacher reached into his canvas duffel bag. "I'm sure I have a map in here somewhere." He muttered as he dug around various items. "Compass, food, water, teddy…"

Helga shot him a strange look. "Did you say teddy?"

Mr. Simmons' head snapped up and his face turned a deep shade of maroon. "T-teddy? No, no, no! What kind of grown man would sleep with a teddy? Certainly not me!"

Arnold stepped forward. "Mr. Simmons, I have a map. Here," He handed it to the teacher. "It was the route my parents were supposed to have taken."

"Oh, thank you Arnold!" Mr. Simmons studied the foldout. "This is perfect! We can travel all over with this!"

Arnold nodded eagerly. "And look for my parents!"

In the back of the group, Sid whispered to Stinky, "Bet he printed that off the Internet!"

"Shut up!" Gerald hissed. "I told you not to say anything!"

"Single file," Called Mr. Simmons. "Everyone got a buddy? Good! And we're off!" And with that, the teacher and twenty-five students left the roadside and trouped into the unknown.


	8. Chapter 7

7

The humidity sweltered as the trees hung low and tickled the children's heads. "As you all know from the video we watched," Said Mr. Simmons, leading the way. "The tropical rain forest is home to over one thousand species of plants and animals. And there are so many more we don't know about yet…Oh look boys and girls! A Trogon!" He pointed above their heads. "Up in that tree! Isn't its plumage glorious?"

"Ooh!" Murmured the class. "Ah!"

Helga wiped the sweat from her upper lip. "Well, this is great! Five minutes into the jungle and I'm already bored stiff!"

"Come on, Helga. It's not that bad!" Arnold looked behind her. "At least you're not Rhonda."

"I don't know what's worse," Commented Gerald. "Being Rhonda, or Rhonda's partner."

All three kids watched as the last girl in line struggled with her things, barely able to stand under the combined weight.

"Errgh," Rhonda moaned. "Nadine, please, can't you at least take my electronics suitcase? The one with the cell phones and the laptop and my voice activated diary? I'm begging you!"

Nadine rolled her eyes. "For the last time, I'm carrying my own stuff! We're already behind! I told you not to take all that stuff, but you wouldn't listen!" Rhonda growled. "Ooh!" Nadine squealed and ran over to a plant. "A real Goliath Bird Eating Spider! These usually don't come until night! Guess I'm just lucky! I've got to take a picture!"

Arnold looked at his friends. "Should we help her?"

Gerald and Helga shook their heads. "No way, Man," Said Gerald. "Every man for himself out here."

Arnold shrugged and hoisted his pack onto his shoulders. "Ok, if you say so."

---

Night fell and the stars peeked their sleepy heads out of the dark velvety blanket called the sky. Mr. Simmons and some of the other boys made a clearing and built a small fire, and the children gathered round.

"…And they say that the Mad Muffin Masher lives on," Harold walked around the fire, staring at each of his classmates. "No one knows how, no one knows where, but remember this: Just when you think it's safe to enjoy your blueberry muffin, you'll turn around to get some milk, and…SMASH!" Harold's loud voice echoed through the jungle, scattering birds throughout the canopy. "Your muffin will be mush, thanks to the Mad Muffin Masher! The end."

"That was the stupidest scary story I have ever heard!" Helga yelled. "Oh, I've heard some lame ones, Pink Boy, but you really take the cake!"

"It was scary to me!" Harold argued.

"Now, now, let's not fight." Mr. Simmons went over and patted Harold on the back. "Harold, that story was very…unique, just like you! Now, do we have anyone else who'd like to share something? Anyone? A poem, a story, a joke?" He looked around the group. "It doesn't have to be long! Well, all right, maybe tomorrow…"

"Wait!" Arnold stood up. "I've got something, Mr. Simmons!"

"Well, all right, Arnold," The teacher stepped aside. "Go ahead."

Arnold walked to the center of the group and faced his friends, journal in hand. "This is something very special to me." He began. "I'd like to share with all of you since you're my friends, and since you've been there for me." He opened it. "I thought you might want to heard some stories about my parents. You see this was my Father's journal and he wrote down all of his and my Mom's adventures in the jungle, this jungle!" Arnold began to read. "'December 5. Today Stella and I were called upon to deliver some medicine to a tiny village to the east. There has been a mild outbreak of dysentery there and only we have the antibiotics necessary to kill the disease. It seemed like the most harmless of missions…'"

---

"We should be there before noon." Miles called to his wife behind him. "Eduardo says these people are very friendly and love visitors, so we should have no problems."

Stella moved aside to avoid stepping on a snake in her path. "Eduardo also says eating three packs of beef jerky a day is good for your heart."

"Speaking of beef jerky, did you pack any?"

Suddenly, a figure cloaked in dark violet, leapt from the trees in front of them, blocking their path.

"La Sombra!" Stella cried.

---

Arnold shifted his weight. "'It was La Sombra! Our arch-nemesis who's always causing trouble!'"

The kids in Mr. Simmons class sat at rapt attention. "This is so cooler than the Muffin-Masher!" Curly whispered.

Mr. Simmons put a finger to his lips. "Shh!"

Arnold continued, "'We never see La Sombra's face, since he always has it covered, and this time it was no different. Now he stood between us and the poor people of the East…'"

---

"Get out of our way, La Sombra!" Miles demanded. "We don't have time for games today!"

"I'm not playing games, Senor." The medium-built villain said in a smooth voice. He held out a greasy hand. "Now, the medicine, if you please."

Stella held it close to her. "What do you want with it?"

"If you have dysentery," Said Miles. "All you have to do is ask and we'll…"

"I don't have dysentery, you fools!" La Sombra yelled. "That medicine is worth a fortune to me!"

"A fortune?"

"Yes." La Sombra sneered. "I'll make sure it gets to your friends in the village, Senor and Senora. But it will cost them a pretty penny as you Americans like to say!"

"Let me get this straight!" Miles interrupted. "You plan to make them _pay_ for the medicine?"

"Pretty good plan, huh?"

"No!" The couple chorused.

La Sombra made a dive for Stella. "Miles, catch!" She reared back and threw the drugs like a football. He jumped.

"Got it!" He looked up and saw La Sombra heading right towards him. "Oops!" He stepped aside and led the hooded villain fall to the ground.

"Come on, Stella let's go!" Miles grabbed his wife's hand and they took off.

"Look ahead!" Stella pointed.

Miles nodded. He saw where she was looking, towards an old-fashioned rope bridge hanging over a canyon. He gave her a lop sided grin. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Running behind the couple, La Sombra stopped in his tracks. In the tree just beyond him, slept a back panther. "Oh no." He groaned. "Not a black cat! Oh, shoo! Go away!" He waved his hands at the sleeping feline. Stooping down, he picked up a rock and hurled it at the tree. "Vamoose!" The panther lifted its head and gave him an angry stare. It jumped down off the branch and started towards him. La Sombra screamed and began to run, the angry cat on his heels.

La Sombra made to the edge of the canyon, just in time to see Miles cutting the ropes on the other side. "Such a shame when that happens!" The larger man said as he watched the bridge fall down the narrow valley.

La Sombra's shoulders heaved up in down in rage and he screamed. "AGGGHHHH! I swear I'll get you someday! Then! Then you'll be sorry!"

"He always says that." Miles smiled as he put his arm around Stella and they headed into the rainforest.

"What if he's right though?" Stella looked up at him. "What if…"

"Relax." Miles kissed the top of her head. "He can't do anything!"

---

Twenty-nine minutes later, the two were seated in the center of the small jungle hamlet, handing out the medicine to the natives.

"It took you long enough." Said Eduardo, chewing on a piece of jerky. "I was getting worried, my friends."

"We ran into La Sombra on the way." Explained Miles.

"Again with this crazy La Sombra?" Eduardo shook his head. "Who is this man?"

"Not a problem." Said Miles confidently. "Now stop hogging the jerky!"

"Who says I brought this for you?"

Stella finished giving a shot to a little girl, no higher than her knee. "You were so brave!" She praised the two-year-old. "You should be all better in a week!"

"_Gracias, _Senora Stella!" The girl handed her a small blue flower, then ran to her mother. "Mama, Mama! Senora Stella made me all better!"

Stella sighed and leaned against Miles. "Doesn't it warm your heart to see all these children so happy?"

"Uh-huh." He replied vaguely.

She squeezed his arm. "Maybe someday we'll have one or two of our own!"

Miles nearly dropped the shot he was holding. "What? We-I mean us-I mean…"

Stella smiled and stared off into the sunset. "But maybe not for awhile."

---

Arnold felt Mr. Simmons' hand on his shoulder. "Arnold, that was a wonderful story, but it's late, and we must be getting to bed! Perhaps you can read us more tomorrow."

Arnold nodded. "All right, Mr. Simmons." He bookmarked his page and shut the journal.

"Everyone to your assigned tents please!" Mr. Simmons clapped. "Thank you very much."

"That was pretty a cool story," Sid admitted as he walked with the other kids. "Even if Arnold made it up. I mean, it doesn't take a total genius to think of something like that!"

"Sid," Gerald warned, "If I have to tell you one more time to be quiet about the whole thing, I'm going take off your cap and shove it down your throat, got it?"

---

Helga started to duck into the tent she shared with Phoebe, Lila, and Sheena, but then popped back out. "What the…" She snarled, then turned around. "Arnold!" She growled. The boy was standing at the tent next to hers. "Did you just tug on my dress?"

Arnold shook his head. "No."

"What did I say about touching me? Don't ever touch me, Football Head!"

"I didn't!" He insisted.

Helga snorted. "Whatever. Just don't do it again." She poked her head inside the tent. "Hey Pheebs, do you have the flashlight? I wanna have it right there in case I need to go the bath…Hey!" Helga stood straight up. "Cut it out!" She snapped.

Arnold glared. "I told you I'm not doing it. Maybe it's Curly playing a joke."

"Maybe it's Curly playing a joke." Helga mimicked. She shook her head and prepared to enter the tent. But the hem of her dress wouldn't enter with her.

Quietly, Helga said in a dangerous tone, "Arnold, you have to the count of three to let go of my dress, or else. One…"

"I'm not touching you, Helga!" Arnold held up both of his hands. "See?"

"Then what…" Helga looked down. "Eek!" She shrieked and nearly toppled over. "What is that thing? Get it off me!"

Arnold knelt down. "Look Helga, it's a tapir! It was chewing on your dress! Look at the poor thing! It must be starving!"

Regaining her composure, Helga crossed her arms and tried to look cool. "I wasn't scared if that's what you were thinking! What's a tapir, anyway?"

"Helga," Arnold shook his head. "We saw them on the video. Remember? Big as a cow, but has a small trunk?"

"Oh yeah." Helga knelt down. "Why is this one so small?"

"It's obviously a baby." Arnold scratched the tapir behind the ears. "Let's see if I can remember. Tapirs are herbivores, so…do you have any fruit?"

Helga put her hands on her hips. "Do I look like a grocery store, Arnoldo?" Arnold just gave an irritated sigh. "Fine, I'll ask Phoebe. She's always got some Japanese health food or something lying around." Helga crawled into her tent muttering, "Of all the stupidest, dumbest things I have to…"

"Don't worry," Arnold said to the tapir. "She's not as scary as she seems."

Helga emerged and tossed Arnold an apricot. "Here you go, Football Head! Knock yourself out!"

Arnold held out the fruit to the animal, who just turned its head away. "Huh?" He tried again. "I don't understand."

"Well, Criminy, you're holding it wrong!" Helga grabbed the apricot and held it flat in her outstretched palm. "You have to feed it the same way you feed a horse! See?" She offered it to the tapir, who finally took the fruit. After finishing, it trotted away into the brush.

"Wow, Helga. I'm really impressed!" Arnold smiled.

_My Love is impressed,_ Helga thought with stars in her eyes. _Could he finally be seeing the kinder, gentler side of me? The side I wanted him to see for so long, but…_

A light shone in their direction. "Hey!" Mr. Simmons called. "Didn't I say lights out? Go to bed, you two!"

Arnold stood. "Sorry, Sir." To Helga, he said, "Well, good night, Helga! See you in the morning!"

"Good night, Arnoldo!" Before entering her tent, she stole one last glance, and one last sigh.

---

In the tent, Arnold flopped down on his sleeping bag. Rolling over, he grabbed a flashlight and took out his journal.

_Today we arrived the San Lorenzo Rainforest. It was just as big and green and full of life as I imagined it! I wonder how my parents felt the first time they saw the jungle. Were they astounded too? When we find them, I'll ask them. I'll ask them if, in spite of everything, they still love the jungle. I'll ask them if, in spite of everything, they still love me._

The flashlight flickered and Arnold knew the battery was going to die. Closing the journal, he stole one last long look at his parents' photo, then tucked it inside, and switched off the light.


	9. Chapter 8

8

---

The sun hung hot and low the next day. Mr. Simmons held out the map in front of him. "Maybe we make a left turn over here. Or was it a right turn back there?" He held up his compass. The arrow spun in all directions. "Cheap rubbish." He muttered, then turned around. "Kids, I'm going to try and find a path. Stay here! I'll be back in a few minutes! Arnold is in charge!" And with those parting words, he vanished into the trees.

"Don't worry guys. We're going to find my parents soon!" Arnold called to the parade of sweaty kids behind him.

"Wilikers," Said Stinky. "I reckon if Arnold is deluded, it must be from the heat!"

Harold collapsed in a fit. "Water!" He screamed. "Water! Water! I'm so thirsty! I need water, or I'll dieeeeee!"

"Uh, Harold," Gerald stood above the heavier boy with his hands on his hips. "Get up. You're embarrassing yourself."

Rhonda set down her luggage. "Well, I guess it's up to _Moi_ to save the day!"

Helga groaned. "What are you talking about, Rhonda?"

Rhonda gave a self-satisfied smile. "Well, it just so happens that in my beverages suitcase, that under the Yahoo! and next to the imported Canadian Cherry Soda, I packed enough sparkling Mineral Water to supply us all! And, I'm willing to share!"

"Rhonda," Arnold panted. "That's great…"

"Great nothing!" Rhonda interrupted. "You all said that I was crazy! You made fun of me for bringing so many suitcases! You wouldn't help me carry my things in spite of my upbringing! You all laughed at me! Poor Little Rich Girl at the back of the line! Boo hoo, boo hoo!"

"Uh, Rhonda," Gerald said. "The water?"

"Well, who's laughing now?" Rhonda shouted. "I have the water! I control your destiny, each and every one of you! I say whom will drink and whom will thirst! I totally rule! BWAWAHAHA!" When she was done with her rant, she looked at her classmates. "Sorry." She apologized. "What was I talking about again?"

"The water?" Everyone chorused.

"Oh right." Rhonda hurried over to her cases. "Let's see. Skin care products, dresses, jewelry, here we go!" She tugged at one case in the middle. "Beverages! Behold," She said, flipping the clasps. "Lovely, refreshing water!" The lid opened and Rhonda peered inside, then quickly stood up and closed the case.

"Oh, hey, heh! What do you know?" She gave a short laugh. "It, um, leaked. Funny thing about water. It does that sometimes."

"Rhonda!" Everyone shouted.

Arnold took off his hat and fanned himself. It did little good. "Now what?"

"I know!" Eugene piped up. "How about a song?"

"Don't even think it!" Helga warned.

The redhead ignored her and began to dance. "'Sunday, Monday, Happy Days! Tuesday, Wednesday, Happy Days! Thursday, Friday, Happy Days! Saturday, what a day! Grooving all week with youuuuuuuu!'"

"Eugene, I'm warning you…" Helga started. He bounced in front of her.

"'These days are ourrrrrrrrrrrs, these Happy Days! These days are ourrrrrrrrrrrs, these Happy Days! Share them with me!'" He bellowed at the top of his lungs.

"Eugene, this isn't the time…" Arnold tried.

"That tears it!" Helga flared and lunged at the smaller boy.

"'Feels so right, it can't be wrong! Rockin' and rollin' all week…'" Eugene screamed as Helga knocked him into the brush. "AHHHHH!"

"That's better." She said, dusting off her hands.

"Helga…" Arnold started.

"Oh, what?" Helga snapped. "Don't tell me you didn't want the little twerp shut up!"

"No!" He grabbed her arm. "Listen! Did you hear the noise when you hit Eugene? It sounded like…like…" He ran over to the bush where Eugene once stood and poked his head through. "A splash! Helga, you found water!"

"I did?"

"And not just water! A whole waterfall! It's huge!" He motioned for everyone to follow. "Come on, everybody! Let's go!"

The kids ran to where Arnold pointed. Before their eyes rose a thirty-foot waterfall standing guard over a glistening clean pool. The sun caught the spray and made misty rainbows, but that was not what caught their attention.

Eugene was already swimming in the middle. "Come in, guys!" He waved. "The water's great! And it's so cold too!"

Half of the class didn't even bother taking off their shoes as they dove in. The heat of the day vanished and once again, they felt human again as the water restored their spirit. Only Rhonda stood at the side, checking her suitcases.

"Here's my swimwear bag! Now, should I wear the stylish yellow sequined one-piece, or the Hawaiian flower design bikini? Oh, choices! Choices!"

---

Mr. Simmons returned, hot, tired, and more than a little cranky. "I can't believe it! We were on the right track after all! Ok, my very special students, sorry it…took…so…long…Oh my gosh!" They were no students in sight. "My students! They're gone! Oh dear! Oh dear!" The teacher wrung his hands. "What could have happened? They could have been kidnapped by natives, or devoured by jaguars, or…or…"

Wait? Was that the sound of laughing? Curiously, the teacher made his way through the thicket and gasped.

Harold had his eyes closed. "Marco!" He shouted.

"Polo!" The rest of the class shouted back.

"Marco!"

"Polo!"

"My class!" Mr. Simmons rushed forward, almost tripping into the pool. "I was so worried!" His face changed. "Class, come over here!" The kids swam over. "Didn't I…Wait. Where's Rhonda?" Helga pointed to the other side of the waterfall, where the girl was still pondering.

"Yellow is one of my best colors, so I should wear yellow sequins!" Rhonda stood, then quickly sat back down. "But on the other hand, the bikini does make me look more grown up, and it is the rage this season, but then again…"

"Oh." Mr. Simmons turned back to the class. "Didn't I say to stay put?"

"Yes, Mr. Simmons."

"Didn't I say I'd be back?"

"Yes, Mr. Simmons."

Mr. Simmons crossed his arms and looked stern. "Well, what do you all have to say for yourselves?"

The class was silent for a moment, then Harold yelled, "Marco!"

"Polo!" Everyone shouted.

"Marco!"

"Polo!"

Mr. Simmons sighed, then smiled. "Well, if you can't beat them…" He pulled off his socks and shoes and got in the water.

---

The sun had turned the color of pink lemonade and dipped behind the trees when Rhonda finally said, "Aha! I'll wear my darling pink and black tankini! It's trendier than both the yellow sequined one-piece and the Hawaiian Flower bikini, and it was especially designed for me!"

She stood up, just in time to hear Mr. Simmons say, "Ok, everyone out the water! It's time to go!"

Rhonda's face turned to ice. "Time to go? B-but Mr. Simmons, I haven't had a chance to go swimming yet!"

"Well, I'm sorry, Rhonda," Mr. Simmons squeezed out the bottom of his shirt. "But it's getting late, and you spent so much time picking out a bathing suit…"

"Mr. Simmons!" Sid hollered. "Harold knocked me into the pool!"

"Harold," Mr. Simmons turned away. "What did I tell you about rough housing? Now help Sid out of the water…"

Rhonda twisted the bathing suit in her hands. "This is so unfair!" She boiled. "So completely and utterly unfair!"


	10. Chapter 9

9

---

Day three and four of the expedition passed. Day five was muggy. Up towards the front of the line, Arnold walked close to Lila and chatted lightly with the pretty redhead.

"What's Irish and stays out all night?" Asked Lila.

"Hmm," Arnold thought about the riddle for a moment. "I don't know, Lila. What?"

Closer to the back, Helga grumbled, "Patty O'Furniture."

"Patty O'Furniture!" Said Lila.

Arnold laughed. "That's a good one, Lila!" The girl slipped her arm through Arnold's.

"Oh Arnold, I'd love it ever so much if you'd tell me more stories about your parents! That is, if you don't mind."

"Not at all!"

"I just find your stories…ever so delightful!" Helga ground her teeth as she watched the pair.

"Look at them, Pheebs! Lila doesn't even believe Arnold, and she's playing him for a sap! It's pathetic!"

Phoebe shot her friend a knowing glance. "Why do you care so much, Helga?"

Helga turned the color of milk. "I don't! I'm just sick of watching Little Miss Perfect make a fool out of the Football Head, that's all! It's pretty sad!"

Phoebe rolled her eyes upward. "If you say so, Helga." She walked ahead humming.

Helga furrowed her unibrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing at all."

"Oh, no!" Helga ran to catch up. "You meant something…Ow!" The blonde cascaded towards the ground cover. "Oomph!"

Arnold heard her cry and turned. "Helga!" He ran towards her. "Are you all right?"

Helga pushed away his help. "I'm fine, Arnoldo! I just tripped over a stupid tree root that's all! I'm not a baby, I can take care of myself!" Brushing dirt, twigs, and leaves off her dress, she winced. Blood trickled down her arm from a large diagonal scrape on her left palm. Biting her lip, she tried to hide it from sight, but it was to late. Arnold and Phoebe had seen the injury.

"Helga," Arnold tried again. "That's a nasty cut on your hand. I think you should clean it out. I have a First Aid kit in my pack."

Helga glared. "What are you, some kind of doctor?"

Phoebe nodded. "Arnold's right, Helga. Without proper medical attention, the wound will most certainly become infected."

Helga rolled her eyes. "All right, Football Face. But this had better work." She sat down on the ground and held out her hand.

Phoebe retrieved Arnold's kit and opened it. "I need rubbing alcohol and cotton balls." He told the small Asian girl. "Helga, this might sting…"

"Come on, Arnold! I've gotten cuts before! Sheesh!"

"All right," He opened the bottle and poured the liquid on the soft white fluff. As quickly as possible, he dabbed on the gash and blew on it.

Helga looked at him as if he was insane. "What are you doing?"

"Blowing on it stops the hurt." He explained, then said to Phoebe, "I need gauze and tape."

"Getting!" Phoebe chimed.

As Arnold wrapped Helga's hand, he said, "You'll probably need to keep it like this for a week. There! How is that?"

Helga inspected the work. "Not bad, Doctor Arnoldo!" She stood. "Looking good!"

"Kids," Called Mr. Simmons. "Hurry up! Nadine found a vampire bat sleeping in a tree! Come on, you don't want to miss this!"

Phoebe ran to catch up with the group. Arnold started to follow, but Helga caught his arm. "Hey Arnold, wait a sec."

"What is it, Helga?"

Helga shuffled her feet and looked at the ground. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, you know, about my hand and all…"

Arnold smiled. "You're welcome. That's what friends are for."

Helga looked him in the eye. "Are we friends?"

"Well, yeah." Arnold shrugged. "You might drive me crazy, and call me names, and boss me around, and embarrass me in front of everyone…"

Helga crossed her arms. "There had better be a 'but' coming up, Football Head."

"But," Arnold said, "You're still my friend."

"Thanks, Arnold." Helga put her good hand on his shoulder. "That means a lot to me."

Arnold nodded. "I'm going to see that vampire bat."

When he was out of sight, Helga danced for joy. "Yes! He held my hand, and he said we're friends! Oh, happy day! Oh, wonderful, magnificent, happy day!" She stopped her dance. "Friends huh?" Helga smiled and rubbed the gauze. "Well, it's not truly, madly, can't-live-without-you, in love, but it's a pretty good start!" She leaned against a tree and sighed, then stood. "Hey Arnold, Phoebe, wait up!"

---

"Wasn't that bat terrific, Rhonda?" Nadine said to the lagging girl behind her. "This jungle has everything!" She held up a tree branch for her red faced, sweaty friend.

"Except decent rest stops!" Rhonda complained. "Ugh! My back is killing me! Can we stop for a minute?"

Nadine sighed. "I guess. We're already behind the group, not that that's anything new."

Rhonda set down her gear and collapsed on the ground. "I'll be so glad when this terrible trip is over! Why couldn't we go somewhere nice, like 'Macy's'?"

"Rhonda, you're just mad because you have to carry around all those suitcases!" Nadine snapped a photo of some passionflower. "Perfect shot! Besides," She stopped and looked around at the majesty of the rainforest. "It's gorgeous out here! How can you compare 'Macy's' to the splendor of nature? Look at the texture of the leaves! The unmatched blue of the sky! The sparkling clear water! All the animals are so happy! Man could never match this!" Nadine spread her arms and closed her arms, soaking in the atmosphere. "Rhonda, if you'd stop thinking about yourself for a few minutes, you'd realize that this is truly Heaven on Earth!"_ And I wish that for once you weren't so self-centered so you could see it,_ She added silently.

Rhonda stood. "At least 'Macy's' is air-conditioned!" She whined. "It's hot, it's buggy, I didn't get to go swimming, I'm out of Canadian Cherry Soda, I'm totally bored plus I…I…I have a disgusting worm on my shirt! Oh Nadine! Get it off! Argh!" The girl shook her arm recklessly. Nadine turned her head.

"Rhonda, stop!" She cried. "You don't know what you're what doing!"

"Getting this slimy creature off me!"

"No!" Nadine rushed over and held fast to Rhonda's arm. "Thank goodness you didn't kill it! Rhonda, this is the larva of the Blue Morpho Butterfly! It may look like a worm now, but once it emerges from its chrysalis, it will be one of the most beautiful creatures in the entire world! Here, let me get out my book so I can show you…"

"I don't care, Nadine!" Rhonda shouted. "Fine, if you won't get it off, I will!" Digging into her pocket, she pulled out a thin gold piece of plastic.

"Daddy's credit card!" She held it up triumphantly. "At least it's good for something out here!" She slid the card under the larva and flicked it two yards away. "Got you, you nasty beast!" Rhonda cried. Rushing over, she lifted her foot and prepared to crush it.

"No!" Nadine screamed and dove at her friend. "I won't let you kill it!"

Rhonda was startled but she held her ground. "Nadine, get ahold of yourself! It's just a bug!" She yelled.

"It's not just a bug, it's my favorite!" Nadine grabbed at her friend's arms.

"Barbarian!" Yelled Rhonda.

"Snob!" Yelled Nadine. She finally managed to overthrow the other girl, and they both fell to the ground like dominos. Out of the corner of her eye, Rhonda saw a flash of gold soar through the air.

"Daddy's credit card!" Rhonda pushed Nadine off her just in time to see the card land in a mud puddle and sink.

"No!" She let out a bloodcurdling scream. "Oh, no!" Running over to the puddle, she began to sift through the grime and dirt, throwing clay everywhere. "I can't find it! Oh, I can't find it! Mother's going to burst a blood vessel! And Daddy! I don't even want to think about what Daddy will do!" Sitting back, the girl, now covered from head to toe in filth and looking quite the opposite of refined, buried her head in her knees and began to quietly sob.

Looking at her dirty best friend, Nadine felt almost ready to cry herself. "Rhonda, I know this won't help, but I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry. And I'll tell your parents that the credit card thing was my fault. You know, they never liked me anyway so…"

Rhonda lifted her head up. "That's it." She whispered. Then she screamed, "I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" She stomped past Nadine and over to her bags. "First thing to do is to get rid of all this garbage!" And with a mighty kick, she scattered her luggage into the jungle. "Now I can start this trip the real way!" She declared.

Nadine gasped. "You mean…"

"That's right!" Rhonda stood tall and firm with her hands on her hips. "From now on, Rhonda Wellington Lloyd is living off the land!"

---

Sitting on a log towards the end of the day, Arnold watched the sunset as he wrote. …Getting Eugene out of that mess set us back some, but Mr. Simmons says we can make it up by getting up earlier. Some of the kids aren't happy about that. I'm glad that Eugene's ok, though. Anyone else pulled headfirst out of piranha infested water might be shaken up, but not Eugene! He's still as peppy as ever…

"Hey Football Head, mind if I sit down?" Said a voice from above. Arnold looked up.

"Hi Helga. Not at all." He closed his journal and set it next to him. "So…" He searched quickly in his head for a topic that wouldn't offend her. "How's your hand?"

She held it up. "Doing good."

"That's nice." There was an awkward silence. "Um, Helga…"

"What?" Helga shouted. Flailing her arms, she jumped up. "Criminy, what did I do now?"

"Calm down Helga," Arnold said. "I was going to say that your shoe was untied." Helga looked down.

"Oh. So it is." She stooped to the ground and retied the laces, then sat back on the log.

Arnold sighed bitterly. "Why are you so defensive all the time?"

"I am not!" Helga sat up straight and jammed her hands on her hips. "I'm the least defensive person you'll ever meet! I'm so undefensive that it's…it's…it's offensive!"

Arnold just smiled. "Helga, you're being defensive about being defensive."

The blonde's face crumpled as she realized he was right. "Aw, forget it. I don't even know why I came over here." She stood up and started to leave.

"Why did you come over here?"

Helga turned back. "Huh?"

Arnold shrugged. "Why did you come over here?"

The tall girl rubbed her arm with her good hand and stared off into the twilight. "I dunno." She mumbled. "I guess maybe it was what you said earlier about being friends. I mean, Phoebe's doing stuff with the other girls, and well…Aw heck!" Her voice became louder. "I was lonely, ok? I mean I'm alone a lot, and sometimes it gets to me, you know? You can't always be by yourself! Even I need a little human companionship, and you said we were friends, so I just thought…I just thought…"

Arnold stared at her for a minute, then gestured to the spot next to him. "Have a seat, Helga."

Taking her place back on the log, Helga pulled up her legs. "Wanna know the last thing Bob said to me?"

"What?"

Helga laughed. "He told me not to come home with any boyfriends! Can you believe it…"


	11. Chapter 10

10

---

Dawn broke as fine and delicate as spider's silk. The only sound to be heard was the distant echo of a parrot, calling to its lost mate and the whispery rustle of the wind blowing through the trees.

Day six, Thought Arnold before he even opened his eyes. Today's the last day. Tomorrow, we turn back! We've just got to find my parents today! We've just…

His thoughts were interrupted by a loud, echoing scream. Poking his sleeping head out of the tent, he could see the other students and Mr. Simmons, teddy bear snuggled under his arm, coming out to see what the noise was.

"Dear Heavens," The teacher rubbed crusts from his eyes. "What…"

"AHHH-AHHH-AHHHH!" The yell thundered through the trees again.

"Looks like Carol Burnett decided to join us." Helga muttered snidely to Phoebe.

There was a flash of pink above their heads, then nothing. "What in Criminy was that?" Helga cried.

"The Mad Muffin Masher!" Sid yelled. "He's come for us!"

Harold screamed. "I'm scared! Mommy!"

"Aw, get a grip, you bunch of Chuckle Heads!" Helga rolled her eyes and extended her thumb towards a tree. "It's just Curly! Like you didn't see that coming."

"Curly?" Mr. Simmons stood up straight and tall and looked at the boy holding onto a vine. "Curly, get down!"

"At least he's wearing underpants this time," Gerald muttered. "If nothing else."

"Me no Curly!" Curly yelled at the teacher. "Me Curl-Zan, King of Jungle! WAH HAH!"

"Oh, Curly!" Mr. Simmons ground his teeth. "Curly," He pointed at the nearly nude student. "If you don't get down here and put on some pants, I'll be forced to come up after you!"

Curly stuck out his tongue. "Me like to see you try!" He grabbed a branch and hoisted himself up.

"Curly!" Mr. Simmons ran over to the trunk and began to ascend the thick stem. "You're on thin ice, Young Man!" Curly laughed ghoulishly and climbed higher.

"Well, that was an interesting way to start the day," Helga said.

"Since Mr. Simmons is distracted," Said Arnold. "What are we going to do for breakfast? He has all the food in his pack!"

Harold grabbed his belly. "Oh-ho, I'm starving!" He sniveled.

"Fear not, my Fellow Travelers!" Said a voice. The kids turned around. Rhonda and Nadine were behind them, wet and slimy, but grinning from ear to ear. "Breakfast is on us!" Rhonda declared.

"What do you mean on you?" Helga asked skeptically.

"Yeah," Added Gerald. "And why are you all wet?"

"We've been up since five," Answered Nadine, "We made harpoons and then we fished in the river!"

"You fishing?" Helga sneered at Rhonda. "Don't make me laugh! You won't sharpen your own pencil at school! Besides, you wouldn't even touch a fish, let alone drive a harpoon through one's…" The dark haired girl smiled sweetly, reached into Nadine's pack and threw a large catfish at the kids' feet.

"Boy Howdy!" Sid whistled. "Look at the size of that thing!"

Phoebe rubbed her hands in delight. "It must at least twenty-five pounds!"

"It'll feed all of us!" Arnold cried.

Rhonda grinned. "What were you saying, Helga?"

Helga shook her head and smiled. "Let's eat!"

---

Stinky found a large stick, and soon he and Harold had made a rotisserie style spit to cook the fish on. The smell wafted to the hungry kid's noses, and even those who hated fish began to drool uncontrollably.

Rhonda served her peers and soon the feast was under way. "I think this is the best meal we've had all week!" Arnold said as he helped himself to a second serving.

"Better than that Meal-in-a-Can stuff Mr. Simmons has been feeding us!" Stinky agreed.

"You've been eating those?" Sid looked at his friend in surprise.

"Haven't you?"

"Heck no!" Sid shook his head. "I thought they were cat food, so I've been hiding them under my pillow! Gosh," He grinned sheepishly, "I guess I didn't have to go hungry this week after all!"

Helga took a bite of catfish. "Gotta say, Rhonda, I'm impressed. You actually got down and dirty and did something for all of us!"

"Well, I did have help from Nadine!" Rhonda gestured toward her friend on the other side of her. "The harpoons were her doing! Without her, I most definitely would have been lost!" She looked around at the stunned campers. "What?"

Helga shook her head and whispered to Phoebe, "First Rhonda fishing and now, giving someone else credit? This is totally surreal, but I betcha it'll last as long as her glasses."

Arnold, who was sitting on the other side of her nodded, "I'm glad you mentioned the glasses! Whatever happened to those anyway?"

"I heard that!" Rhonda stood. "For your information, I'm turning over a new leaf! I'm going to be a whole different person! You're going to see a kinder, gentler America, I mean, Rhonda."

Voices could be heard coming through the forest. "…Is the last straw!" Was the first coherent thing anyone could make out. "I will be telling your parents and Principal Wartz when we get back, do you understand Curly? Curly answer me!"

"You just mad 'cause big bird poop on head!" Came the reply. "Better not make Curl-Zan mad or he sic animal friends on you!"

"Ooh!" Mr. Simmons poked his head through the brush. "Hello, Class. I have had a very rough morning and I just want to rest for a while, thank you." Holding Curly tightly by the arm, he pulled the squirming nine-year-old through the thicket. "What is that smell?"

"Nadine and I caught breakfast! Do you want some?" Rhonda offered the teacher a plate.

Mr. Simmons waved her away. "Oh, maybe later, Rhonda. I…Wait, who caught breakfast?" Curly managed to break out of the teacher's grasp and took off through the trees.

"Come Jaguar, come Monkey, come Wolverine!" He bellowed. "We off to live in jungle as Brothers! WAH HAH!"

"Curly, stop!" Mr. Simmons was hot on the boy's bare heels. "Curly!"

Gerald shook his head as the students watched the two disappear once again. "Curly's needs a hobby. I mean besides being nuts."

Phoebe pushed up her glasses and nodded. "The wolverine does not even live in the South American Rainforest."


	12. Chapter 11

11

---

The day dragged on, the sun taking no mercy on its young victims. Gerald slapped a humming mosquito on his cheek.

"Ow!" He grumbled. "As soon we get back, I'm getting some deep dish action with a large supreme pizza, taking a hot bubble bath, and then not getting out of bed for a week! And, I don't mean to sound like Rhonda, but my clothes are starting to stink! I'm telling you Arnold, I cannot wait to go home!"

"I can." Arnold replied. "We still haven't found my parents yet."

Gerald's expression changed from bitter to uncomfortable. "Oh yeah. Look man, I didn't mean…"

Arnold smiled at his friend and shrugged. "Forget it, Gerald. I know you meant. But it's going to be soon! I just know it!"

"Uh, yeah." Gerald fell a few paces behind so he wouldn't have to look Arnold in the eye. "Whatever you say."

---

Up ahead, Mr. Simmons led the group and read from his teacher's guide. "Ok, who can tell me who was the first president to visit the rainforest?" Looking over his shoulder, he selected from the group of the hands. "Yes, Stinky?"

"I reckon it be Lex Luthor!"

"No, no, Stinky." The teacher shook his head. "He wasn't a president, he was…I mean, he is…well, I don't mean 'He is' because he doesn't…Phoebe, can you answer the question?"

"Theodore Roosevelt in 1913, after which he wrote a book entitled, 'Through the Brazilian Wilderness.'"

"Thank you, Phoebe. That was a very good answer." Mr. Simmons turned the page in his guide. "Now on this journey, the former President Roosevelt had several close encounters with death…"

"Lex Luthor?" Helga sneered as Mr. Simmons continued to lecture. "What kind of stupid answer was that?"

"He's the president in the Superman comics!" Stinky crossed his arms.

"Whatever."

"…And that's," Finished Mr. Simmons, "How Theodore Roosevelt just barely escaped drowning when his canoe tipped over!" The teacher checked his watch. "Oh my goodness! It's nearly five o'clock! It's time to start heading back!" The class cheered.

Arnold felt his heart drop into his stomach like a stone. "But…what about my Mom and Dad? They're still out there somewhere! I mean, they could be anywhere in this jungle, even around the next corner…" Mr. Simmons knelt down to Arnold's eye level.

"I'm sorry, Arnold. I really am. I wish we had more time. But the T. Roberson Society only gives us a week out here." He placed his hand on Arnold's shoulder. "Your parents would proud of you, Arnold. I'm proud of you, Arnold."

Arnold nodded numbly and moved to the back of the line without a word. "Poor Arnold." Rhonda shook her sympathetically.

"Yeah," Said Sid. "I almost feel sorry for the guy."

Gerald watched his best friend, looking more sad and depressed than he had ever seen him. "Hey Arnold, wait for me!" The football headed boy bared glanced up. "Man, are you going to be ok?"

Arnold shook his head. "I failed them, Gerald." He said in a low voice. "I had a mission and I failed them."

Gerald put his arm around his shoulder. "You didn't fail them. After almost ten years, you still believed, you still had hope, and you went farther than anyone. How can any parent ask for more?"

Arnold pushed the other away. "It doesn't matter, Gerald!" He said harshly. "I should have be able to find them! I should have been able to bring them home, so we could be a family again, a real family!" He clomped a few feet away, then stopped. "I didn't expect you to understand. You've always had a mom to tuck you in! You've always had a dad to play catch with! You've even had a brother and sister to play with! I haven't. I'm just…" He shuddered. "Alone."

Unbeknownst to both boys, a shadow lurked behind them, hanging onto every word. _Oh Arnold,_ Helga wiped away a tear,_ Will you ever be the same after today?_


	13. Chapter 12

12

---

The fire crackled and popped as Mr. Simmons plucked his guitar. The students sang along to the music. _"…Train is a-coming, oh yes! Train is a-coming, oh yes! Train is a-coming, train is a-coming, train is a-coming, oh yes!"_ Pause. _"Better get your ticket, oh yes! Better get your ticket, oh yes…"_

"I hate this song." Helga muttered to herself. Looking over her shoulder, she caught a peek at Arnold, sitting by his lonesome.

"Boys and girls," Mr. Simmons set down the guitar. "I can't tell you all how much this week has meant to me! I have seen you all grow and learn so much, and if I could do it all over again, I would. I just want to thank you again for this very special experience! But now, it's time for bed. Tomorrow, we get up extra, extra early and walk all day nonstop so we can catch our bus!"

As Helga stood up, she fixed a steady gaze on Arnold. _My poor Eros of Earth,_ She thought with a sigh. _I wonder what thoughts are running are through your football headed mind right now._

Far away from the fire, Arnold clutched the photo of his parents. "I'm sorry, Mom. I'm sorry, Dad." He whispered to the smiling adults in the pictures. "If only we had a little more time, I'm sure…"

"Arnold?"

"Oh hi, Mr. Simmons." The teacher sat down.

"Arnold, are you going to be all right? You've been very quiet today, not that's bad. Everyone has his or her own special way of dealing way with sadness…"

Arnold waved him off. "I'm fine, Mr. Simmons. After all, if it weren't for you, I would have never had the chance to come out here. At least I had the opportunity."

"That's the spirit, Arnold!" The two stood, but Mr. Simmons couldn't help noticing the moonlight bouncing off something in Arnold's hand. "What's that?"

Arnold smiled and held out the picture. "Mr. Simmons, these were Stella and Miles, my parents."

"Oh how wonderful!" Mr. Simmons took the photograph to look. "They have such wonderfully kind faces. Arnold," He gave the photo back. "I'm sure they loved you very much."

"You know," Arnold felt a tug of happiness at his heart. "I think you're right."

---

Inside one of the tent, several of the students had gathered to play cards and shoot the breeze. However, more than idle gossip was being spoken.

"For nothing!" Sid snarled. "Arnold dragged out here for nothing!"

"It wasn't for nothing Sid!" Gerald argued. He pulled his red nightcap over his hair. "Arnold…"

"That's right, Arnold!" Sid repeated, then raved, "If it weren't for him, we'd be at home, safe and sound in our own beds, clean, comfy, and not at the mercy of wild man eating kinkajous!"

"Sid, that's completely irrational!" Phoebe argued. "Not only would the time difference set us back that so we'd be eating dinner, kinkajous are only the size of a house cat! And they certainly aren't man eaters!"

"Don't you see?" Sid ignored her. "This is all Arnold's fault! Him and his wild fantasies!"

---

Outside the tent, Helga had just stomped up, hiking up her pajama bottoms. "Stupid banana leaves!" She growled. "If there's one good thing about going home, it's…" The angry voices inside the tent made her stand stock-still.

"So what we going to do about Arnold?" Sid cried. "He can't get away with this!"

"I say we pound him!" Harold yelled.

"Hey wait! You can't…" Gerald's voice was cut off by angry cries.

"I say we take all his clothes and dump them in the river!" Rhonda suggested.

"How about we bury him in quick sand?" Lila said coyly.

"Stop!" Gerald's pleading fell on deaf ears.

"Well, I say we tie him up and leave him in the jungle since he loves it so much!" Sid shouted. The students were in the palm of his hand now. "Who's with me?"

That was the last straw. The tent flaps burst open. "STOPPPPPP!" Echoed loudly through everyone's ears and to their brains.

The kids gasped in unison at Helga stood above them. "Look at you all! You've become nothing more than a pack of vultures! And Arnold! Poor Arnold, who's probably traumatized and will never get over it!" She gave Sid the evil eye and stomped over to where he was sitting. "You! You skinny little weasel!" She grabbed his collar and pressed her face in his. "I outta pound the daylights out you, you back stabbing little traitor!"

Sid cowered. "Please don't hurt me! I promise I won't say another word about Arnold! Just put me down!"

"Hey Helga," Gerald sat up straight. "Not that I mind you standing up for my pal and all, but what gives? I thought you hated him!"

Helga dropped Sid on his back. "Ow."

"I don't hate him." She frowned. "Ok? I…Look! It doesn't matter how I feel! We all accomplished something this week! Rhonda finally did something completely unselfish, Nadine fulfilled her dream of going to the rainforest, and Curly…" She paused. "Well, you got to do something totally bizarre and weird, and no one got hurt."

"Hey that's right!" Curly cried. "I did, didn't I?"

"My point is," Helga continued. "None of this would've happened if it weren't for Arnold, so back off, ok?" The students looked at one another, guilt on their faces. "And as for Arnold's parents, you can't judge! You don't know what really happened. For all you know, Arnold's parents could be dead! Their plane could have crashed in the jungle, or some mountain, or maybe even the ocean!"

"Helga!" Helga felt her insides turn inside out at the sound of her name. Slowly she turned, knowing already she was in trouble.

Arnold stood at the entrance to the tent, shock, hurt and anger brewing on his young face. "Arnold, this isn't what it looks like…Arnold!" Helga cried as he took off into the night. "Arnold, come back!"


	14. Chapter 13

13

---

Twigs and sharp rocks cut Arnold's bare feet in the dirt, but he didn't care. All he wanted to do was to get away. Get away from her. How could I have trusted her? He thought as he ran even farther and faster. I thought she…she said…I just had to believe that she could change. That there was more to Helga G. Pataki than meets the eye! I was so stupid!

The stitch in his side would no longer allow him to run and he stopped to catch his breath, leaning against a tree. "Arnold!" Echoed behind him.

"Oh no." He groaned. The taller blonde caught up.

"Arnold, let me explain…" Helga reached out to touch his shoulder. He pulled away violently. "Look at me!"

"Haven't you done enough?" His voice had a jagged edge to it. "So my parents are dead are they? Is that what you believe?"

"Come off it, Football Head!" She snapped back, then took hold of her tone. "That wasn't what I meant."

"Just leave me alone." Arnold's voice held a cold bitterness as he stalked back towards camp.

"Hey!" Helga called after him. "You said we're friends!"

"We were friends!" Arnold called back angrily. He didn't know it, but he might as well just gutted her with a knife.

---

Quietly in the bushes, two figures, silent and swift, watched the scene unfold. To each other they nodded, then moved on.

---

Helga slumped against the tree Arnold had just been leaning against and quietly began to sob into her hands. "Well, you've done it this time, Helga Old Girl. You and your big mouth have lost Arnold forever. And I fear this time there is no reversing this brutal mistake! Oh curse my fast paced, unthinking ways!" Reaching into her pajama top, she pulled out her locket. "It's really over this time." Slowly, the heart shaped memento slipped out of her hand and down into the dirt. "Well fine!" She snapped. "Who needs him anyway? Not me!" She gave the locket a sharp kick and it flew into the brush. "Stupid Football Head! Stupid, stupid, Football Head!"

There was a crackle of branches. Helga froze. "Who's there?" She demanded. Another noise broke the still of the night. It was as gentle as the cool breath of a moth, but Helga heard it just the same. "Brainy, is that you? I'm not in the mood, Brainy." She paused. "I'm said, I'm not in the mood, Brainy!"

The trees parted. Helga felt the urge to scream but no sound came to her throat. She could see that whoever lay beyond the brush was no classmate of hers.

"Help." She finally managed, then ran as fast her legs would take her.


	15. Chapter 14

14

---

In a blind panic, Helga G. Pataki zigzagged in all directions just to get away from the danger she was sure was behind her.

_Wait, was I here before? Or did I just come from there? Oh they're getting closer! Think Helga, think! I can hear the footsteps behind me!_

Suddenly, everything went dark.

---

When the light finally came back on, everything was a painful blur. "Ooh, my head." Helga sat up, rubbing her temple. "What happened?" Surveying the scene before her, she surmised, "Oh man, during my fearful flight from whatever it was I heard, I must have collided with a tree and knocked myself out! How brilliant is that?" Standing up and dusting herself off, she breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, I'm glad that's over! It was probably just some stupid monkey! Humph, I can't believe I panicked like that! After all, Helga G. Pataki doesn't…" Helga out a bloodcurdling scream.

Standing two yards away in the thicket, she could see a crouching dark figure, completely enveloped in shadow. "Stay back!" Helga took two steps backward. "Oh, I'm doomed." She whimpered as she shut her eyes tight and waited for the attack.

Nothing happened. Helga opened an eye. "Huh?" He, now she could tell that figure was a man, was just staring at her. "What's going on?" He flung something at her feet.

"My locket? How…" She scooped it up and stuffed it back in her top. "It doesn't matter. Thanks." Helga put her hands on her hips. "Well, I guess you're not going to hurt me. Not that's why I was running. I wasn't scared! I don't get scared, Bucko! I…Oh forget it."

The man stood up right and came in the moonlight where Helga could see him. His skin was a deep tan and he wore feathers in his long dark hair. Around his waist was a skirt made from some sort of animal skin. "Hey, you're one of those native people!" Helga smirked. "Well, let's just hope you're not one of those head hunters, or else I'm in trouble."

Looking over his shoulder, he nodded. Out of the jungle where he had stood, four other natives, cautious but curious about the stranger their leader had found, crept out and joined him.

"Wow." Helga just shook her head. "No one's gonna believe this."

There's just something about these guys that I can't put my finger on though, She thought to herself. What is it? Something about their face…Something…Something _in _their face. Their eyes…

"You all have green eyes!" Helga blurted out. "Like some kind of…of green eyed people!"

At this, the Leader smiled, as if he understood what she said. He grabbed her good hand.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Helga tried to twist free, but he held tight. "I didn't say you could touch me! Leggo!" The other natives surrounded her and they marched through the night.

"Ergh! Ok, Chiefie, this is really getting old! Either put me down or I'll forced to…" Helga squinted. Up ahead she could a bright, flickering light. "Hey, what's that?"

The Leader pushed her forward. "You want me to go there?" Helga looked back at him and then forward towards the light. "Listen, Chiefie, there's no way you're getting me to check out…whatever. Who knows what kind of crazy trouble you could be getting me into? This night's been weird enough as it is, and I…" There was a rustle of leaves. Looking over her shoulder, Helga saw he was gone.

"Aw, great." She shivered as a cold wind cut through her bones. Come to think of it, that light did look kind of warm. And she could almost swear she smelled something hot cooking…

Helga sighed. "What the heck." Pulling back the bushes, she could see a pot of stew being simmered over a small fire. A thin woman was stirring the mix with a large wooden spoon. A man sat on the log behind her. His face was worn and haggard, as if he had seen a thousand different worlds, not one of them inviting.

"I'm tired of stew. I'd kill for a roast beef." He sighed, hanging his head as his neck couldn't bear the weight.

"So would I, but this is the best we can do." He handed her a bowl and she filled it to the top.

Hmm, I wonder what their story is, Helga wondered as she watched them eat. Well, I think that stew looks good! I'm starving!

The man sat back. "If we ever get out of here, I'm eating the biggest, juiciest steak money can buy."

"Hmm," The woman blew on her stew. "Hollandaise sauce or Béarnaise?"

"Both."

"Me too."

"I can't take this any more!" Helga growled. Getting down on all fours, she crawled towards the half full pot.

"All I want is to see my baby boy again, and I'll eat stew every day for the rest of my life if that's what it takes to make it happen."

Almost there! Helga reached out towards the black container. Boy, that smells good…"OW! HOT!" She screeched as she jumped back, accidentally striking the pot with her shoe as she toppled to the ground. "Hot, hot, hot!" Tears sprung to her eyes as she writhed in pain. A shadow fell over her.

"Uh-oh." Helga looked up at the man and woman and let out a sheepish laugh. "Oh man, is this your pot? Sorry about that!" She scrambled to her feet. "I'll just be going now! Bye!"

The man held out an empty bowl. "Would you like some stew?"

Helga jerked her head around in surprise. "Pardon?"


	16. Chapter 15

15

---

Phoebe sat Indian style on the floor of the tent. She held out two small pebbles in her hand. "So you see, even stones as different as this Sunstone and this Tonalite are really the same since all rocks have the same origins in igneous stone. In fact, we are all like stones, if you think about it, Gerald. We all come from the same place, but we are unique unto ourselves, different colors, different shapes, but…" She narrowed her eyes. "Gerald, are you listening?"

Gerald was leaning forward, staring at the two pebbles. "Uh-huh. That's great, Pheebs, but what does this have to do with the jungle?"

"Nothing." The girl shrugged. "I just thought it was interesting."

"Yeah, well, it sounds like an after school special to me."

Phoebe sighed. "If you say so."

"Or maybe a really corny book."

"I get it, Gerald."

"I mean a really corny book! Like one with fuzzy bunnies and magical fairies and peachy princesses and stuff!"

"All right! You've made your point!" Phoebe pulled out her brocade pouch and dropped the pebbles inside. _So much for sharing the mysteries of the universe…_

The tent flap unzipped and Arnold stepped inside. Without a word, he made his way over to his suitcase and began stuffing clothes inside. "Hey Arnold."

"Hey Gerald." He said, throwing a red shirt inside without looking up. "Hi, Phoebe."

"_Konbanwa_, Arnold." Phoebe scooted over as Arnold grabbed a pair of socks from next to her. "Arnold, are you feeling all right?"

"Fine. Why?"

"You seem a little districted, that's all."

"Yeah," Agreed Gerald. "Not to mention you just packed my underwear. The ones with my name sewn into the band."

Arnold blinked, then pulled out the briefs and tossed them to Gerald. "Sorry."

"What's wrong, Arnold?"

"Nothing's wrong." He said as he crammed his boots on top. "I'm just packing."

"But Arnold…"

"Look you guys!" Arnold stood up. "Why should I stay here anymore? Why should any of us stay here? It's time I stop dreaming and face the truth!" He knelt back down in front of the case. "My parents are dead and I can't change that. Not if I stayed in San Lorenzo for a hundred years."

Gerald swallowed heavily and slid over to where his best friend sat. "Arnold, I have known you all my life and you've never let me give up on a dream." He put his arm around his shoulders. "Well, I'm not letting you give up on this one. Arnold, your parents are out there, and you're going to find them!"

Arnold shrugged him off. "They could be in the jungle or the mountains or the ocean. You heard what Helga said."

"But you didn't!" Phoebe stood up tentatively on the bumpy tent floor. "Arnold, you didn't hear Helga stand up for you!"

"Helga?" Arnold said in a laughing voice. "Helga was the one…"

"Helga was the one who saved your butt when everyone else was ready to hang you!" Gerald snapped.

Arnold looked taken aback. "Hang me?"

Phoebe sighed. "Arnold, from the beginning, our classmates have had…doubts about your parents."

"What do you mean doubts?"

"Let's face it man!" Gerald said. "They thought you were lying!"

Arnold's eyes flashed with concealed rage. "But I wasn't!"

"Helga told everyone off tonight! She made everyone sorry for ever doubting you!"

"Arnold," Phoebe said quietly, touching his shoulder. "Helga does care about you. She's always cared about you. More than you'll ever know."

"I don't know what she's talking about man," Gerald added. "But I do know that after tonight, I won't ever say anything bad about Helga G. Pataki again."

The boy was silent for a minute. Suddenly, Arnold jumped up and ran out of the tent without a word.


	17. Chapter 16

16

---

"So you two traveled all over the world?" Helga said, stuffing her mouth with stew. "That is so boss!"

The woman nodded. "Yes, it was very cool, but nothing beats a warm bed and a place to call home."

Helga stared into her bowl. "I know what you mean. Especially about the bed part."

The fire was nearly all ash, and Helga shivered. The man noticed. "Here, you look cold!" He wrapped a worn woolen blanket around her shoulders. "You're probably not used to cold jungle nights are you?"

_Wow, _Helga thought, _They're the nicest people I've ever met! They don't deserve to be stuck out here!_ Out loud she said, "How'd you end up in the rainforest?"

The woman stared into what was left of the fire. "Almost ten years ago, we left on our last mission."

"What was it?" Helga asked.

The man answered, "We were asked by our friend, Eduardo, to fly to San Lorenzo to deliver some medicine to the tribe known as the Green-Eyed People."

"We left our baby boy behind with his grandparents." His wife continued. "We only planned to be a couple days, but our plane ran out of gas quite suddenly and we were forced to make a crash landing…"

"Hold up!" Helga interrupted. "You say you left your kid behind with his grandparents?"

The woman smiled wistfully. "Yes. I'm sure they're taking good care of him now. They were always such good grandparents, and they loved him so much." She started to take a bite of stew but Helga grabbed her arm.

"What did your baby look like?" She demanded.

"Well, he had the biggest green eyes and the happiest smile." The woman thought back. "He was such a wonderful baby."

Helga's shoulders sank. _I should have known,_ She thought. _It was just a coincidence…_

The man nudged his wife in the shoulder. "Don't forgot his head, Honey."

"Oh that's right!" She said. "How could I forgot? He had a football head!" She laughed. "Like mother, like son, I guess."

"Football head!" Helga yelped. She jumped off the log.

"Are you all right, Dear?" The woman sounded concerned. "You look little pale."

"Football head!" She cried again and sped off into the night. "Football head!" The man and woman stared after her.

"Well…" Said the man finally.

"Nice girl," Said his wife. "But…"

"High strung?" He finished for her. "Kooky?"

"Yes."

---

Arnold ran through the jungle, combating branches, twigs and the like. _I've to find Helga!_ He thought. _There's no excuse for what I've done or the things I said! I've got to make it up to her!_

---

Making her way through the forest, Helga tripped once, but pulled herself back up. _Football head!_ Ran through her mind. She jumped over a fallen tree trunk. _Football head!_

---

_How far am I from camp?_ Arnold looked over his shoulder. Suddenly, something sent him sprawling to the ground. "Ow!" He propped himself up on his elbows. "Helga?"

Across from him, the slender girl lay in the dirt. "Helga! Thank goodness I found you!" He extended a hand to her, which she accepted. "Helga, Gerald and Phoebe told me what you really said in the tent earlier! Helga, I'm sorry! I had no idea!"

"Football head…" She panted.

"Please Helga." Arnold frowned. "I'm trying to apologize, and I'd appreciate if you'd not call me names right now."

"No!" Helga grabbed his shirt. "You had a football head as a baby, didn't you?"

"Uh, sure Helga." Arnold said, confused. "I've always had this head, but I don't see…"

Helga nearly jumped out her skin. "Yes!" She screamed. She grabbed his arm. "Come on, Arnold, hurry up!"

"Helga, where are you taking me?" Arnold cried. "Helga!"

---

Dragging the boy behind, Helga could feel her heart pumping hard. "Hurry Arnold! This way!"

"Helga! Ow! Slow down!" Arnold felt his body jerk as she pulled tighter on his wrist. "What's going on?"

"Just trust me, ok?" She stopped short in front of the brush. "Here it is. Come on." She started to go, but Arnold didn't budge.

"Helga, I don't know about this. Maybe we should just go back to camp. Mr. Simmons said we had to get up early tomorrow…"

Helga turned and looked in the eye. "Look, Arnoldo, you said we were friends, and friends trust each other." She put her hands on his shoulders. "Well, trust me. If you don't walk through that bush, you'll regret it everyday forever, got it?"

Arnold sighed, then smiled. "I got it."

"So you trust me?" Arnold clasped her hand.

"I trust you, Helga."

"Good." The two nine-year-olds turned towards the brushwood. "Are you ready?"

"Ready." And still holding hands tightly, they made their way through the vegetation and to the other side.


	18. Chapter 17

17

---

Arnold looked around the campsite. "There's nothing here." Helga felt her stomach twist like a rag.

"What? But-but…They were…just a few minutes ago they were…"

"Is this your idea of a joke?" Arnold dropped her hand. "I'm going back to camp."

"Arnold!" Helga called after him. "Come back!"

Running after him, Helga ducked under a branch. "Arnold," She grabbed his arm. "Arnold, I have to tell you something…"

Arnold jerked away. "I can't believe I apologized to you! I can't believe I even felt sorry!"

"Will you shut up for a minute?" Helga looked around. "They couldn't have gone far!"

"Enough, Helga!" Arnold interrupted angrily. "I don't want to hear anymore! I just want to go back to camp so tomorrow I can get back on that bus, fly home, and forgot this whole trip ever happened!" He began to stomp towards camp. "Goodnight, Helga!"

"But, but…" Helga stammered at she watched him walk away. "Fine! I don't need your help! You'll see!" She took off in the other direction. "Know-it-all doofus!" She growled under her breath. "I bet he's never even met the Green-Eyed People!"

Arnold stopped dead in his tracks. "What did you say?"

"Oh no! You didn't want to help before!"

"No!" Arnold raced to her side. "What did you say? Tell me, Helga!"

"Well," Helga looked smug. "Maybe I was out in the jungle, and maybe I happened to meet some of the locals, and maybe…"

"They all had green eyes?" Arnold finished.

Helga looked surprised. "Yeah. How did you know?"

Arnold grabbed her by the shoulders. "Helga, that's incredible! Do you know what you've done?"

"I'm sure you'll tell me, Football Head."

"Never mind, we've got to get back to camp!" He ran ahead of her.

"But Arnold…"

"Come on, Helga, we don't have much time!"

"But that's exactly what I'm trying to tell you!" Helga rolled her eyes. "Oh my love. So debonair, and yet…such a goob!"

Ignoring the calls of the girl behind him, Arnold raced through the trees. _Just a little further…_

Suddenly a slender, bony hand reached out of the trees and wrapped around his mouth, dragging him backwards into the bushes. Unable to call out, he helplessly watched Helga run past. "Arnold! Where are you?"

Finally, whoever it was let go. Arnold leapt away. "Look, whoever you are, I'm sorry, but I don't have time for this! I'm looking for…"

The clouds passed from over the moon and light shone clearly on Arnold's captor. The boy nearly fell over. "The Green-Eyed People!"

Helga came through the brush. "Finally! Why in the world did you disappear like that?" She looked at where Arnold was staring. "Oh it's you again, Chiefie."

Arnold dug his elbow into her ribs. "Helga! Show a little respect!"

Helga glared. "What do you want me to do, sacrifice Brainy? Actually, that's not a bad idea…"

"Sir, we are greatly honored to make your presence." Arnold made a little bow. Helga rolled her eyes.

"Oh brother."

"Helga!"

"Oh all right!" She copied his movement. "Hail Chiefie Green-Eyed!"

The Chief stared at them both for a moment, then said in a deep, brassy voice, "Come."

Arnold blinked. "Pardon?"

"Come." He repeated.

"Helga," Arnold grabbed the girl's arm. "He speaks English!"

"Come."

"Big whoop! All he can say is 'Come!'" Helga remarked. "Not exactly the statement of the year." The Chief turned and started to walk away.

"I think he wants us to follow."

"Yeah, and if you don't, Football Head, he'll drag you." The two kids obeyed his order and he led them through the jungle, through twists and turns and shortcuts.

Finally they stopped. "Go." He pushed them forward.

"Awfully bossy isn't he?" Helga said cuttingly.

Arnold looked towards the sky. "Not unlike someone I know."

"Hey!" Helga dug her hands into her hips. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Look, what are we supposed to…" Arnold turned around. "He's gone!"

"Again?" Helga said. "Why does he keep doing that?"

"Never mind." Arnold replied. He walked forward. "Let's just see what he brought out here for."

Helga sighed and clasped her hands. "Lead away, Sweet Dreamer."

"Pardon? I didn't hear you."

The girl immediately crossed her arms. "I said, Whatever floats your boat, Football Face."

"Look ahead," Arnold pointed. "There's a little tent!" He ran forward. "I bet who's ever inside has seen my parents!"

"Arnold, wait!" Helga called. "Come back!"

Arnold had already reached the small brown shelter. "Hello? Hello in there? My name's Arnold. I'm sorry to bother you so late, but I'm looking for somebody! Actually two somebodies, and I was wondering if you had seen them, so…" There was no answer. Arnold looked at Helga as she approached.

"Hello?" She tried. "Yo, people! A little help here?" Sighing, she put her hand on Arnold's shoulder. "Come on, Arnold. Who's ever inside obviously has better things to do." The two started to leave.

"Stupid banana leaves!" Said a voice behind them. "If we ever get out of here, we're buying stock in toilet paper!"

"Yes, Dear."

Arnold and Helga stopped and turned to look. Out of the brush emerged two figures, one man and one woman.

The man stopped once he saw the children. "Hello again, Helga. You left so suddenly…" His voice died quietly as his eyes moved towards Arnold.

The woman pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket. It was ripped, dirty and worn with age but she gazed upon it affectionately. It was a photo of happier days, long ago, her baby boy taking his first steps.

"Arnold." She said, her voice cracking. "Arnold!"

Arnold took a step backward, unsure of what to think. These were not the heroes from his dreams, but unknown strangers. Their faces were lined and creased with age. The man's hair was thin and going gray, and the woman's skin sagged off her face like a rubber mask. No, these couldn't be his parents.

"You're so old!" He blurted out.

"Yes, almost ten years in the jungle will do that to you." The man agreed.

The woman knelt down to his level. "Come here!" She drew him close to her chest, but broke away when she felt the boy in her arms stiffen.

"Honey, it's Mommy." She said, smoothing his hair back. "Oh, Honey, don't you remember at all?"

"No!" He choked. "You can't be! You just can't!" His parents were strong, noble warriors, not these two broken down, forlorn rovers! He turned away so he wouldn't have to look at them.

The woman looked at the man helplessly. "Miles…"

Helga looked down, playing with the edge of her skirt. _Oh my poor angel, what could heal your broken spirit right now? What could soften your hurting heart and soothe your suffering soul?_

"Wait a minute!" She ran to the woman's side and whispered something in her ear.

"Do you think it'll work?" The woman asked.

"I don't know," Helga answered, "But what choice do you have otherwise?"

"You're right." The woman took a deep breath and then, in a low, hushed voice, began to softly croon:

_"Lullaby and goodnight_

_Go to sleep, sweet Arnold._

_Know we love you more each day_

_While you sleep and while you play."_

Arnold turned his head slightly. She smiled at him and went on:

"_You're so sweet, through and through_

_Stay off the slide 'til you're two."_

Tear rolled down Arnold's cheeks as he rushed into her arms. "Mommy!" He choked.

"Shhh." She held him closely. "We're right here now, Baby." His father crouched down low and wrapped his arms around the two of them.

"We'll never let you go again, Son." He promised.

Arnold just sobbed into his mother's T-shirt. It didn't matter that she was sweaty or dirty or smelled like a rotting carcass. He could remember now: The smell of her skin, the touch of his father's stubble, everything was so clear in his mind. A window of memories had been opened and he could feel the love they had had for him from the time he was born, and the love they still held as they kept him close.

"Mom, Dad, I'm sorry I didn't come sooner…"

"Sooner?" His Father looked taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"I should have been here. It's my fault you've been out here for so long!" His mother wiped away the tears.

"Arnold, it was nobody's fault, least of all yours."

"That's right!" His father scooped him up in his powerful arms. "Nobody's, not yours, not mine, not your mother's…" His voice dropped to a whisper. "Though confidentially, she did forget to pack me enough socks!" He ducked as his wife swatted him.

Standing to the side, Helga silently rejoiced. _Oh Arnold, you are finally complete! Your missing pieces are found and you can now be whole again for the first time!_

Suddenly, Miles handed Arnold to Stella, who encased the boy in a long hug. He walked over to Helga and picked her up.

"Whoa!" She cried. "Hands off the merchandise, Bub!"

"I wanted to thank you, Helga."

"Me?" Helga blinked. "What'd I do?"

Miles gestured with his head over to Arnold and Stella. "You brought our baby back to us."

"Some baby." She snorted.

"Exactly." Miles agreed. "It's going to take a while for us to get to know each other and learn and grow, but thanks to you, at least we have a start."

"Yeah, well, it wasn't just me." Helga started. "It was the Green…"

"Dad," Arnold interrupted. "Are we going back to our camp now? I want you to meet my teacher and my friends!"

"You bet we are!" Miles hoisted Helga onto his shoulders.

"You know, I can walk."

"Show us the way, Arnold!" He pointed. "You're a real jungle explorer now!" Arnold grinned, took his mother's hand, and led them out of the area.


	19. Chapter 18

18

"I can't believe Arnold and Helga would just disappear like this!" Sitting next to his tent, Mr. Simmons pulled on his shoes. "Are you sure about this, Lila?"

"I'm ever-so sure!" The petite redhead replied. "Helga never returned to the tent we share with Phoebe and Sheena, and the other boys say Arnold has been missing for two hours. I'm oh so certain where ever they are, they are there together!"

"Well ok, Lila." He pulled on his bathroom over his red and white striped pajamas. "I know you would never tattle on a fellow student just to get them in trouble."

"Of course not, Mr. Simmons. I am merely concerned for their safety! After all," She continued primly. "This jungle is very dangerous! You said so yourself!"

"Well, I did say that. All right!" Mr. Simmons turned on his flashlight and started towards the rainforest. "Arnold! Helga! Where are you?" He shone it into the vast, consuming darkness. "Arnold! Helga! Come out, come out where ever you are! Arnold…" The two kids emerged from the wilderness. "Oh, thank heavens!" Mr. Simmons wiped the sweat off his brow. "There you two are! What were you thinking? Didn't I tell you that wandering off in the jungle was forbidden?"

"Yes Mr. Simmons."

"Helga, Arnold, I'm sorry, but I have no choice." Mr. Simmons crossed his arms. "I'm afraid I'll have to tell your guardians about this when we get home."

"Why don't you tell mine now?" Arnold gestured with his thumb towards the forest. "They're right there!"

Mr. Simmons looked up in surprise. Right behind the children came a tall, muscular man and holding his hand was a lovely brown haired woman. Both were caked in dirt, but they had gentle smiles and twinkles in their eyes.

The man extended a hand. "Hello! You must be Arnold's teacher!"

Mr. Simmons took his grip weakly. "Yes. Yes, I am. You…"

The man put his arm around the woman. "We're Arnold's parents." She said sweetly.

"Parents?" Mr. Simmons repeated.

Lila made a squeaking noise by the tent. "Parents?"

"That's right, Mary Sunshine!" Helga smirked. "Arnold's parents!"

Gerald poked his head out his tent. "What's going on?"

"Arnold's found his parents!" Mr. Simmons said in amazement.

Gerald jumped about two feet. "No way!" He ran out of the tent and up to Arnold. "You did it, Man!" He said, giving Arnold the secret handshake. "I knew you could! I told you, didn't I?"

One by one, the kids came out of their tents, barefooted or slippered, curious or disbelieving, to see the strangers Arnold and Helga had brought to the campsite.

"How did you eat?" Asked Harold.

"What was the worst injury you got?" Asked Eugene.

Nadine tugged on Stella's shirt. "What kind of insects did you see?"

"Kids, please settle down." Mr. Simmons cleared his throat and turned to Miles and Stella. "We are so honored to have you with us! Please, we're almost out of food, but help yourself to anything you want!"

Miles grinned and blew the hair out of his eyes. "Great. So long as it's not that Meal-in-a-Can stuff."

Arnold slipped his hand through Stella's. "We're going home tomorrow. You'll be able to see Grandpa and Grandma and all the boarders again! You'll be able to eat anything you want!"

Stella looked at Miles. "It's over." She said quietly to her husband. "It's finally over."

"I wouldn't quite say that!" Said a new voice.

---

Ooh, cliffhanger! Ooh!

All right, gang. I'm leaving for vacation on Thursday, and I won't be back until Monday. It's my policy to wait a few days before updating, so no telling how soon I'll be able to get the next couple of chapters up. In the meantime, happy reading, and don't be afraid to critique; I'm editing little things here and there as I post, so any help to make this the best fic possible is appreciated. Have a good Labor Day!


	20. Chapter 19

19

---

"Eduardo?" Miles blinked in disbelief. "Eduardo what are you doing here?"

Out the jungle shadow stepped a man, stooped, hair one hundred percent gray and falling out, and bitterness splayed across his face.

"I have been living in the jungle for almost ten years, my friends, making sure you don't get out!"

"What?" Stella gasped.

"And now that you are so close, I fear I have no choice but to exterminate you, once and for all. Oh, you just couldn't leave well enough alone! You just couldn't stay put!"

"Eduardo, what are you talking about?" Miles demanded.

"Think!" The darker man tapped his head mockingly. "Did you ever examine your plane after you crashed?"

"Well, yes." Miles looked at his wife. "But it was pretty banged up, and we couldn't…"

"I punched a hole in the gas tank!" Eduardo snapped. "That's why you crashed! That's why you've been stuck here for almost ten years! It was me, my friend! Me!"

Instead of looking angry, Miles looked hurt. "But why? You were our best friend! You were my best man! You were there when Arnold was born! How could you?"

"How?" Eduardo turned away from the group. "Because after you left to start your new, perfect life, everything went wrong! It was always, 'You're not as good as Senor Miles!' or 'When's Senora Stella coming back?' I couldn't replace you, and everybody knew it! So I hatched a plot! I went back to the States and told you that the Green-Eyed People had succumbed to the sleeping sickness! Oh, I knew you'd fall for it." He cast a mean smirk. "You were always so gullible, Miles. So softhearted, Stella. Anyway, before two you left, I sabotaged your plane with a screwdriver. I even led the search party to keep up appearances! How clever was that? I thought I had gotten rid of you for good. But then, I had a scary thought. What if you two were alive? You always had an annoying knack of getting out of impossible situations. So I flew back to San Lorenzo, and I have been here ten years, making sure you never got out. And now, that you've been found, I'm afraid that this is the end of the line." He cast a glance at the class. "For all of you."

"No!" Stella stepped forward. "Leave the children out of this!"

"Wait a minute." Helga said. "You stuck them in the jungle simply because you weren't a good replacement? That's a pretty crummy reason, Bucko. Come on, I think you're holding something back."

Eduardo chuckled. "You are a smart little girl."

"I ain't little."

"It's true. I have neglected to mention something." He continued. "Miles, Stella, permit me to reintroduce you to an old friend." Swift as a housecat, a cloaked man stepped out behind Eduardo.

"La Sombra?" Stella cried. "You paid La Sombra?"

"No!" Eduardo paused. "He paid me!"

"Hello, Senor and Senora. Long time, no humiliating defeat." La Sombra strode back and forth in front of the group. "Have you enjoyed your jungle stay?"

Stella clenched her fist as if to belt him, but Miles held it down. "What you want?"

"Revenge! And if my vengeance has not been fulfilled by dawn, every single child will suffer your punishment!"

Eugene started to turn, but tripped on his own shoelace. "Ow. I'm ok." He sat up. "Oh dear. I've spilled some of my things out of my pocket. Let's see." He began to stuff the things back in. "Tissues, Band-Aids, change…"

"Stop!" La Sombra cried. Eugene's hand froze.

"Pardon?"

"I said stop, you fool! That penny you were about to pick up!"

"So?"

"It's face down! It is bad luck to pick up a penny face down! Are you trying to curse us all?"

"Too late for that." Helga muttered dryly.

La Sombra strode past him. "Take the other things, but leave the money!"

Stella shook her head. "He was always superstitious. I guess ten years hasn't changed a thing."

"You know," Harold whimpered. "I'm not so scared of the Mad Muffin Masher anymore."


	21. Chapter 20

20

---

Through the San Lorenzo wilderness, Eduardo and La Sombra marched the class and the three adults to an unknown location. The clouds had moved over the moon, and now only darkness shadowed the earth.

"Dad, what's going to happen?" Arnold whispered.

"I don't know, but don't worry. Your Mom and I will find a way out." His dad patted him on the back.

"No talking!" La Sombra shouted from the back of the line. "Unless you would like for the retaliation to start here!"

Miles straightening up and continuing walking with the rest of the group. Arnold strained his neck to see ahead. He could see Helga walking next to Eduardo.

"Seriously, your motive is all screwed up!" She was saying. "I mean, come on! So the guy is better looking, has a gorgeous wife and a kid, and can do his job! Big deal! That's no reason to team up with his arch-enemy!"

"How about ten thousand pesos?"

"Now that's a good reason!"

"Hey!" La Sombra marched up the front of the line. "I said no talking!" He pushed his hooded face in Eduardo's. "Would you like to become part of the group?" The other shook his head. "Good! Just lead! And you," He turned on his heel to face Helga. "_Silencio_, or I'll make sure you never get to where we're going!" To emphasize his point, he grabbed her bow and tossed it on the ground.

Arnold felt a furious rage swell in his chest. He didn't like the way La Sombra was talking to any of them, but the way he had treated Helga made Arnold feel like exploding.

"He can't do that to her!" Arnold started to leave his father's side, but Miles dragged him backward.

"I know it's unfair, Son, but you've got to ignore it for now!" They watched as Helga picked up her bow and stuffed it in her top. "She'll be ok."

---

Once again, the group walked on, unable to escape their captors. "Ah, here we are!" La Sombra stopped. "This will be perfect!"

Looming above their heads stood an old gray temple, triangular in shape and covered in vines.

"It smells like dog doo!" Rhonda whispered.

"I don't wanna go in." Said Gerald.

"Eduardo, take the children and the bald one in and tie them up!"

"Bald?" Sputtered Mr. Simmons. "I just have a wide hairline!"

"I'll deal with these two!" La Sombra grabbed Stella and Miles by the arms and roughly pulled them aside.

"Come along, children!" Eduardo ushered them along. "There's no use resisting. Come!

Arnold looked over his shoulder at his mother and father, sadly staring back at him. "This isn't fair!" He cried as the class walked in the temple. "I just got them back!"


	22. Chapter 21

21

---

Eduardo used heavy ropes to tie the kids together, two by two. Arnold was matched up with Helga and left in a corner.

"This just isn't fair!" He seethed.

"Wake up and smell the Yahoo! Soda, Arnold!" She snapped.

"That's the temple, Helga."

"I mean," She continued. "Life isn't fair, and you're going have to get used to it!"

"I know life isn't fair!" He began to struggle against the rope. "Do you think that…being…left with my grandparents while…my parents were stuck in South America…was fair…Do you have a nail file?"

"Do I look like Rhonda?"

Arnold stopped fighting. "It's hopeless." He sighed and put his head back.

"No it's not." Helga said quietly. "We'll get out of here. You're smart. You just have to think of something, that's all."

"Yeah right."

"Snap out of it!" Helga elbowed him in the shoulder. "You've always done everything you've said you were going to do! You're always looking on the bright side, finding a solution, and making things work! That's what makes you Arnold, isn't it?" He didn't answer, so she shook him. "Isn't it?"

"Ow. Yes."

"Just like what makes me Helga is being loud and bossy and mean, right?"

"Wrong." Arnold looked at her. "What makes you Helga is the fact that you're smart, brave, you don't let anyone push you around or tell you who you ought to be, and you're a great writer!"

Helga turned pale. "Me? A great writer? What-what makes you…I mean…"

"Remember when Mr. Simmons read your 'Ode to a Monitor Lizard' poem in front of the class?" He reminded her. "That was pretty cool."

"Oh yeah." She breathed a sigh of relief.

"You know, you're pretty cool, Helga."

"Thanks. So are you."

Arnold tried to straighten out his legs the best he could. "You know, I was mad when La Sombra grabbed your bow earlier." He told her.

"You were?" Helga asked in surprise.

"Yeah." Arnold nodded. "But now I'm thinking, you look nice. I mean, with your hair down and all." He blushed. Why did I say that? She'll probably pound me!

But to his relief, Helga didn't look mad. She just made an odd little sigh. "Arnold, I…"

"Never fear!" Boomed a voice. "Curl-Zan is here!"

"Curly?" Said Arnold.

"I'm gonna kill him!" Snarled Helga.

"Why?"

At the entrance to the temple, stood Curly, stark naked, except for his underwear, and three animals.

"Come animal friends! We rescue class!" He laughed maniacally and began to untie the ropes.

Gerald blinked. "You've got a monkey, a jaguar, and what the heck is that thing?"

Phoebe gaped. "Is that a wolverine? How in the name of Henri Becquerel did you…"

"Brothers say come!" Curly said as he untied Mr. Simmons. "Not much time! Weeeeeeeeee…" He sang. "Off to save the parents! The wonderful parents of Arnold! Mwahahaha!" And with that he pirouetted out of the room.

Helga stood. "I'm not even going to wonder this time." She started to brush herself off, but stopped short when Arnold caught her hand.

"Thanks, Helga." He hugged her.

She let him for a minute, then pushed him off. "Yeah, yeah, no big deal. Now let go save your parents! Time's a-wastin', Bucko!"

He smiled as she marched ahead. "Whatever you say, Helga."


	23. Chapter 22

22

---

"Now," La Sombra smirked as he watched his adversaries. "How would you like to end your life?"

"Warm in my bed, at the age of ninety-ninety?" Said Miles.

"Nice try." La Sombra turned away. "But I've got a much more painful plan in mind."

Stella pulled out her picture of Arnold. "At least we got to see him one last time. And he is such a handsome, thoughtful boy."

"Don't worry!" Miles tried to reassure her. "We're going to get out of here! You'll see!"

Stella growled. "Why do you have to do that?"

"What?"

"Be such an annoying, head-in-the-clouds dreamer! Don't you ever get tired of looking on the bright side?"

"No." Miles replied. "Someone has to."

"See Eduardo," Said La Sombra to the man leaning against the wall behind him. "There is a lesson to be learned here! Try, try, try again!" He laughed viciously. "I spent years trying, and now I'm getting my ultimate revenge!"

Eduardo didn't look up. "If you say so, Boss."

"Eduardo…"

"What?" Said the other, irritated.

"Did you happen to hear something just now?"

"You know," Said Eduardo. "I thought I did."

"It was us!" Echoed through the large room. "Curl-Zan and animal friends!"

La Sombra stared at the nearly nude nine-year-old. "Is that a wolverine?"

"We here to stop you!" Declared Curly.

"You?" La Sombra looked at Eduardo and they both began to snicker. "You? You're just one child! How could you…"

"We're all here to stop you, La Sombra!" Arnold entered behind Curly. Slowly, the entire class and one teacher filed in.

"I thought you tied them up." La Sombra hissed to Eduardo.

"I did!"

"It doesn't matter!" The villain said aggressively. "You are still just children. Oh, and one bald man."

"I am not bald!" Mr. Simmons cried.

"We still have the power to overtake all of you!" Eduardo added.

"Oh yeah?" Helga demanded. "How?"

Eduardo looked at La Sombra. "How?"

"Like this, you fool!" Shooting out a hand, he grabbed Arnold around the neck and held him tight.

"Arnold!" Helga screamed.

"Arnold," Miles looked at his son pleadingly. "Please just listen to him."

"Now if you want to see your son alive again," La Sombra said callously, "You will tell your little friends do exactly as I say! Otherwise, I'm afraid tonight's entertainment will include instant death!" Arnold tried to twist free, but to no avail. The caped cretin held firm.

"I…can't…breathe…" He wheezed. "You're hurting…"

Eduardo grabbed his boss's arm. "La Sombra, you're taking this a little far! He's just a kid!"

"Yes, and you're just in this for the money!" La Sombra snapped. "Now _silencio_!"

Oh Arnold, I have to do something! Helga thought quickly. But what? How can I help you escape the hands of a mad man?

"Wait!" She called. Everyone turned and looked at her.

"What, little girl?" La Sombra wrapped his arm tighter around Arnold's throat. "This had better be good!"

"You're making a mistake!" She paused. "He's not their son!"

"He's not?"

"He's not?" Said Stinky. "But I coulda sworn…" Gerald stomped on the taller boy's foot. "Ouch!"

"What about the family resemblance?" La Sombra demanded.

"He's a nephew!" Helga fibbed. "I'm their daughter! I'm the one you want! Let him go, and take me instead!"

"What's she doing?" Miles whispered.

"Saving him." Stella whispered back.

La Sombra looked long and hard at Helga, as if trying to see through her. "How do I know this isn't some sort of trick?"

"Ask Eduardo." She gave the stooped man a hard glance. "He was there when I was born. Weren't you, Eduardo?"

Eduardo was silent for a moment. He looked from Helga to Arnold to La Sombra then back to Arnold. "Yes." He finally said. "She is theirs. I have never seen the football headed one in my life."

"Very well! Have it your way!" La Sombra tossed Arnold to the floor and grabbed Helga by the wrist.

Arnold sat up and rubbed his red, sore neck. "Helga, what are you…"

"Quiet!" She demanded in her bossiest voice. "I'm their daughter, you're their nephew, got it, Coz?" She took her place under La Sombra's arm. "Ow! You know, I'm not going anywhere. You don't have to hold so tight!"

"Boss, I don't like this!" Eduardo hissed. "I thought we were just going to scare them! You never said anything about hurting children!"

"No children will get hurt," La Sombra shot back. "If my demands are met exactly! Now," He moved towards the back door. "Follow and you'll regret ever setting foot into this country. Adios! Eduardo, get those two!"

"But Boss," Eduardo protested. "What about the girl? Can't you let her go? She's fulfilled her purpose!"

"You do as I say!" La Sombra hollered. "Get them now!" Eduardo sighed and pulled Miles and Stella up.

"Careful!" La Sombra snapped.

"What is it now, Boss?" Eduardo rubbed between his eyes.

"You almost stepped on a crack!" Eduardo looked down next to his foot.

"So?"

"Imbecile! Next thing you know, you'll be walking under ladders!" La Sombra yelled. "Just get them!"

Eduardo made a type of groaning noise. "Whatever you say, Boss."

La Sombra leaned down and chuckled next to Helga's ear. The scent of raw onions filled her nose and made the hairs stand on end. "Say goodbye to your classmates, daughter of Miles!" He said with deplorable amusement. "It's the last time you'll ever see them!"

---

As La Sombra mercilessly dragged Helga from the room, Arnold felt a strong sense of anger and sorrow.

"What do we do, Gerald?" He whispered.

His best friend put his hand on his shoulder. "What can we do?"

Suddenly, before La Sombra had completely taken Helga out, the girl reached into her pajama top and pulled out a large gold trinket.

"Arnold, catch!" She called. Reaching out, he caught the thing in his hands.

"That's enough!" La Sombra finally pulled her all the way out of view. They could hear the echo of footsteps down the hall.

Lila pushed her way through the crowd of students. "What is it, Arnold?"

"Show us!" Rhonda cried.

"Yeah Arnold, come on!" Harold tried to snatch it, but Arnold pulled it out of his reach.

"I'll look at it later!" He put it in his pocket. "We've got to save Helga and my parents!"

"Arnold's right!" Mr. Simmons stood in front of the class. "Everyone, single file please…Oh forget it." He sighed. "Charge!"

Everyone cheered and began to stampede out the back door. Arnold started to join them, but then hesitated. Quickly he pulled out the thing out of his pocket and took a look.

It was a heart shaped locket. But not just any locket. A locket with his photo.


	24. Chapter 23

23

---

"Finally!" La Sombra growled, dragging Helga by the arm through the jungle. "I thought we'd never get out of there! _¡Odio todos los niños!_ I didn't even like kids when I was a kid."

"So you're going let me go?" Asked Helga hopefully. "I'm a kid, you know!"

"_Silencio!_" The faceless fiend dug his dirty, chipped nails into her skin. "Just be quiet! Eduardo!" He called ahead to the man in front of him. "How are the other prisoners?"

"Just fine, Boss." Eduardo grumbled.

"Good." La Sombra cleared his throat. "I suppose you're wondering what terrible, imminent fate awaits you?"

Stella rolled her eyes. "The thought did cross my mind."

"Up ahead is Vasquez Cliff!" La Sombra continued. "Vasquez Cliff is the highest in the world!"

Miles stopped walking. "You're going to throw us off a cliff?"

"Yeah," Agreed Helga. "How unoriginal is that? I expected you to feed us to crocodiles or something!"

"Really, Boss," Eduardo chimed in. "You can dig a little deeper than that!"

La Sombra shook with frustration. "If you would please let me finish! At the bottom of Vasquez Cliff, are thousands upon thousands of jagged rocks! Not only is Vasquez Cliff the highest in the world, it's the deadliest!" He bent over with uncontrollable laughter.

Helga looked at Miles and Stella. "I suppose neither of you know the Doom Song."

"The what?"

"Could you hum a few bars, Dear?"

La Sombra stopped laughing and looked at Eduardo. "And you!" He snarled. "You'll be joining them!"

Eduardo jerked backwards. "Me? But-but…I'm your partner! And what about my 10,000 pesos?"

"You idiot!" La Sombra shouted. "No one in this country uses pesos, they use bolivars!"

Eduardo's knees shook like custard. "But why?"

"Why?" La Sombra shrugged. "Why not? No witnesses to worry about, no loose ends! It's perfect!"

"No!" Like a bullet, Eduardo dropped his charges and ran past his former employer, but the other man was too quick for him. Reaching out and yanking him by his eggshell colored vest, La Sombra knocked him down.

He stood in front of the group. "You're mine now! Senor, Senora, Eduardo, and Child! All the people I've despised for so long are finally in the palm of my hand, and it won't be long now before I crush you all!"

"Hey! I never did anything!" Helga protested. "As a matter of fact, Arnold-I mean, I wasn't even born when…"

"_Silencio!_" And with an over exaggerated flourish of his cape, he turned away. "It won't be long now."

"So," Eduardo turned to Helga. "How did that 'Doom Song' go?"

---

"Curly," Rhonda said with more than a hint of skepticism in her voice. "Are you sure that leopard can track them?"

"He Jaguar!" Curly barked, riding on the large yellow cat's back. "And he say we on the right track, so shush!"

"Curly," Mr. Simmons pleaded. "We're all counting on you and your animals to lead us to Helga and Arnold's parents, so please use your special gift as best you can!"

In the back of the group, Arnold lagged behind. Gerald slowed to his pace. "Hey Man, you're looking blue. Don't worry. Curly may be a kook, but he seems to have this animal thing down pat!"

"Gerald," Sighed his best friend sadly. "Have you ever had anything right there in front of you and you didn't even realize it?"

Gerald rubbed his chin then snapped his fingers. "Yeah! Once I couldn't find my favorite autographed baseball, and it turned out to be right on its stand!"

Arnold slid a glance at him. "That wasn't what I meant."

"Then what are you talking about?"

Arnold shook his head. "Never mind."

"Aha!" Curly shouted in the front of the line. "Jaguar say they head to the west!"

"Oh," Mr. Simmons sighed. "What a relief."

"What?" Curly said suddenly. "What do you mean?" He turned to face the group. "Monkey say Jaguar is full of it and they really go to the east! Well," He shouted at the two animals. "Which is it, east or west?" He sat back. "Well, we just sit here until you two figure it out!"

"Curly, there's no time for this!" Arnold cried.

"All right, all right." Curly grumbled. "We go west. Jaguar's nose better. Ya!"Gerald tried again. "So what were you talking about?"

"It's nothing. You wouldn't understand."

"Are you sure? You know, I'm always there for you."

"Forget it, Gerald! Forget I even brought it up!" The other boy shrugged and moved up to walk with Phoebe.

_I must be the biggest dolt on Earth!_ Arnold stuck his hands in his pockets as he plodded along. _It was so obvious the entire time, and I just couldn't see that she was…_

Suddenly, someone tapped on his shoulder. He looked up. "Hey Lila."

"Don't worry about your parents, Arnold." The girl said, smiling. Usually her smiles made his heart do flips. But this time it was different. This time, it seemed so…fake. Why? It was the same smile as before. Was it always like that? "After all, when a door closes, a window opens." She chirped.

_What? _Arnold thought in his mind. _What in the world does that have to with anything?_ She was still smiling, so obviously she thought she had done something right.

"Thanks, Lila." He said more polite than anything else. "I guess that's…inspiring."

She flipped a braid over her shoulder. "Anytime, Arnold."

"Um," His eyes searched for a way out. "Gerald! Wait up!"


	25. Chapter 24

24

---

Impatiently, La Sombra reached out and pushed Miles forward into the jungle thicket. "Move! Can't you go any faster?"

Stella leaned close to his ear and spoke softly. "Can't we just run? First you can knock him down. And then you go in one direction, and I could go in another, and…"

Miles shook his head. "No good. What he just goes after Helga, then what?"

"Oh right." Stella turned her head to look at the blonde. "Poor Helga. If it weren't for her, it would be Arnold with us now, walking to his doom."

"I still don't get it." Miles said. "Why would she trade places with him?"

Stella rolled her eyes. "You are so dense."

"Behold!" La Sombra cried triumphantly, holding back a tree limb. "Vasquez Cliff! On the off chance anyone finds you at the bottom, it'll be assumed you were just the average stupid American tourists and their guide, who got too close to where they weren't supposed to be!"

"He really thought this out." Eduardo quipped.

"Now go! Up the cliff! Come on! Move it!"

---

"Jaguar says we close!" Curly called to the tired troops behind him.

"Good, 'cause my feet are killing me." Gerald grumbled.

"Gerald!" Arnold elbowed him, then moved up. "How close?"

Curly's Jaguar sniffed the ground, then growled deeply in the back of its throat. "Real close!" Curly reported. "They pass through here less then two minutes ago!"

"Less than two minutes?" Arnold cried. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" He ran past Curly and Mr. Simmons and nearly knocked down Lila. Stinky caught her arm before she hit the dirt.

"Arnold!" She cried, incredibly miffed.

"Arnold, wait!" Mr. Simmons called. "Please come back!"

"I hear voices!" The youngster yelled to the rest. "Hurry!"

"See!" Curly stuck out his tongue at Rhonda. "Curl-Zan never wrong!"

"Humph." She growled, crossing her arms.

To the animals, Curly muttered, "Stop arguing about who right and wrong. Don't make me turn this feline around."

---

At the edge of the cliff, Helga peered down. "Wow, that is a steep drop! You weren't kidding, were ya?"

"Can you imagine the view at sunrise?" Stella looked wistfully at Miles.

"I wish I had a camera!" He lamented. "Think of all the pictures you could take…"

"Enough!" La Sombra roared. "I will now use the most ancient method handed down to me by my grandfather to determine which one of you will die first!" He glowered darkly. "The E Triple M!"

"The E Triple M?" Helga repeated.

Eduardo groaned and put his head in his hands. "Oh no, Boss! Not the E Triple M! Please!"

Helga ignored the man next to her. "What in Criminy is the E Triple M?"

La Sombra laughed ghoulishly and pointed. "'Eeny Meeny Miney Moe…"

"Oh jeez," Helga rolled her eyes upward. "You gotta be putting me on."

"He does this all the time!" Eduardo whispered in her ear. "His grandfather told him it was a good luck trick or something when he was a boy, so now he uses it for everything!"

"No talking!" La Sombra snapped. "Now where was I? Oh yes. 'If he hollers, make him pay…'"

As he ran ahead of his classmates, Arnold could hear his heart beating in his ears. "I see them!" He almost screamed. "Look! They're at the top of that cliff!"

"Oh my," Mr. Simmons shook with fear. "We'll never get up there in time!"

Curly jumped off the large animal's back and pointed to the precipice. "Jaguar, attack!" With a roar mightier than a thousand oceans, the cat sped towards the captives.

---

La Sombra went around the circle. "'My mother told me to choose the very best one…"

"Boss, you're embarrassing me."

"And you are…" His finger dawdled dangerously. Suddenly a flash of brown and yellow knocked the caped man to the ground. "What? What?" He spat out in a daze.

The class wasn't far behind the large cat. "Good work, Jaguar!" Curly praised it.

Arnold ran to Helga's side. "Are you ok?"

"Doy! Have I ever not been ok?"

He looked over his shoulder. "Mom, Dad, are you…"

"We're fine, Sweetie." Stella rubbed the top of his head.

"Not for long!" La Sombra stood. "I didn't want to do this, but you've forced my hand!" He reached inside his cloak and pulled out a .38 revolver.

Miles gasped and pulled Arnold and Helga backwards. "La Sombra, this isn't funny!"

"You better believe it's not!" He snapped. "You could have had just a simple accidental death! But no! You wouldn't listen!" He gestured towards the class with his head. "You had to get them involved! Well, I'm tired of waiting for my revenge! It's now or never!" He cocked it. "Adios, Senor Miles…"

Miles grabbed Stella's hand and squeezed it. "Adios, Darling…"

From out of the jungle flew a boomerang like weapon that struck La Sombra in the hand. He cried out in pain and dropped the gun.

Helga looked down at the black handgun lying near her shoe, then causally kicked it over the side of the cliff. "Whoopsie."

"No!" La Sombra screamed, almost following its path downward. He growled viciously. "Whoever threw that will be the first to die!" He picked up the boomerang and shook it. Several of the children huddled together in fear. "Well?" He demanded. "I want an answer!"

"Me." Said a deep voice in back.


	26. Chapter 25

25

---

The children parted to see the offender.

A deeply tanned man with ebony black hair made his way to the front and stood face to face with La Sombra.

"You!" Cried Helga.

"You!" Arnold repeated.

"And who may you be?" La Sombra demanded icily. "Not that'll matter in a few minutes."

"He's the Chief!" Arnold blurted out. "The Chief of the Green-Eyed People!"

"What?" Stella gasped.

"Hah!" La Sombra sneered. "I don't believe it! The Green-Eyed People haven't shown their faces in thousands of years! And you expect me to believe that their Chief would just magically appear to save a bunch of snot nosed brats!"

"Hey!" Harold angrily cried. "I ain't snot nosed!"

"I refuse to accept this imposter as the Chief of anything!" La Sombra declared.

"Uh, La Sombra?" Eduardo gulped. "I don't think they're lying."

"Oh, and what makes you so smart?"

Eduardo pointed. "Look!" Coming out of the jungle were hundreds of natives, short, tall, thin, fat, all armed with spears and boomerangs, all with green eyes.

"Better watch it, La Sombra." Helga smirked. She looked at the Chief and continued. "This guy here has mystical powers!"

"Mystical?" La Sombra repeated.

"Yeah!" Helga continued. "Legend has it's bad luck to mess with the Green-Eyed Chief! Anyone who does will instantly break out in oozing pimples!"

"Pimples?"

"Your finger nails will turn brown and rot! Your teeth will turn to mush and you'll start croaking like a frog! Then," Helga grimaced and made a slashing motion across her throat. "Gcckkk!"

Arnold made a face. "Helga, that's gross!"

She shrugged. "I'm just warning the guy. After all, La Sombra never takes a chance on bad luck, right Arnold?" She elbowed him in the ribs.

His face lit up. "Oh!" He winked and nudged her back. "_Rightttt_." Helga rolled her eyes.

La Sombra began to mutter in Spanish. _"Estoy en la presencia del mal!"_ He pointed at the Chief. "Stay away!" At the sound of the aggression in his voice, the natives drew their weapons. "Stay away all of you!" He yelled.

"It's over, La Sombra." Miles put his hands on his hips.

"Not until I say so!" With lighting speed, he grabbed Helga and pressed his fingers into her throat. "Stay back!"

"Helga!" Yelled Arnold.

The Chief yelled something in his language and the natives instantly lowered their weapons. "I thought so." La Sombra laughed. "You may be _el Diablo_," He said to the Chief, "But I have the upper hand!" He stepped backwards. A few loose pieces of gravel fell into the canyon below.

"Stop!" Cried Miles. "You're too close to the ledge!"

"I'm too smart to fall for that trick!" La Sombra snapped.

"This is getting old!" Helga swung her fist into the villain's groin. He howled and jumped backwards…

---

Over the ledge. As he fell, he grabbed Helga's arm, pulling her over the edge. Her fingers caught the rocky surface. Arnold screamed and dove towards her. He reached down and seized her wrist.

"Hold on!" He cried.

"Doy! I'm not going anywhere!" She snapped.

"Helga," Arnold looked over the edge of the cliff and into her face. "If one of us dies in the next few minutes, I need to tell you something."

"Me too."

"Helga, I…" The cliff gave way and both preteens disappeared with the rocks and dirt over the edge, screaming. Stella and Miles rushed to grab them, but to no avail. They were gone.

Phoebe buried her head in Gerald's shoulder and began to sob. Nadine stood with her mouth open. "They're gone. They're really gone." She whispered to Rhonda, who had tears streaming down her face. Everyone else began to cry silently.

Stella wrapped her arms around Miles and cried quietly. He patted her back as reassuringly as he could. He looked over to where the two nine year olds had disappeared. How could they have been taken…

"Stella!" He cried joyfully. "Look!"

Wiping her tears, she looked to where he gestured. Below the cliff, a branch was suspended from the rocks, and clinging to the wood for dear life, were Arnold and Helga, scratched and bruised, but unharmed.

"You're alive!" Stella cried. "Everyone! They're alive!" To Miles, she said, "How are we going to get them?"

Eduardo rushed to the front of the group. "Here!" He pushed rope into their hands. "This is the same rope we used to tie the children with! Try and get them with this!"

---

Down on the branch, Arnold's arms were getting tired. "I can hear them! They're coming to get us!"

"Lots good that'll do if we fall."

"Don't worry! After everything we've been through, it's not going to end like this!" Arnold looked up into the night sky. "I guarantee it!"

Helga cleared her throat. "Speaking of everything we've been through, Arnoldo, you probably want to know why I have your picture in a locket." She flushed.

"I guessed." He squeezed her hand and smiled.

Helga's eyes shone. "Does that mean you and I…we're…"

Like a giant bird of prey, Miles swooped down, the rope tied tightly around his waist. "Hey kids! All aboard!" He grinned. "Watch your step." He gently hoisted each child onto his shoulders. "All right, guys!" He shouted. "Reel me in!"

---

The Green-Eyed People formed a line behind Stella and Eduardo and used their combined strength to pull up the three below. Stella dropped to her knees and grabbed Arnold. "Thank Heavens." She said as she held him fast.

Miles hoisted himself up on the ledge. The leader of the Green-Eyed People offered his hand. "I don't believe it," Said Miles, pulling himself up. He put Helga down. "After all these years, the Green-Eyed People." He bowed slightly. "This is truly an honor, Sir."

Stella elbowed her husband. "Ask his name!" She hissed.

"Oh!" Miles cleared his throat. "What should we call you?"

The darker man smiled, then winked at Helga. "Chiefie." He said simply, then turned and led his tribe back into the jungle.


	27. Chapter 26

26

---

It was a quarter to dawn when the plane landed in the US airport. Fog hung listlessly around the runway as two men wearing ear muffs and holding glow sticks watched it arrive.

One motioned with his glow stick. "That plane's from San Lorenzo, you know."

"What?" Shouted the other.

"I said that plane's from San Lorenzo!"

"Maine's banned your friendzo?"

"I SAID THAT'S PLANE'S FROM SAN LORENZO!" Screamed the first.

The second man huffed. "There's no need to yell!" The plane pulled in its wheels and began to circle.

"Who'd wanna go to San Lorenzo anyway?" The first man muttered.

"What?" Shouted his friend.

---

"So why didn't you just cream him?" Helga asked as she followed Miles down the terminal. "I mean, you're built like a bear! You could have flatten that La Sombra guy in a second! Seriously," She hoisted her bag onto her shoulder. "You could have saved us a lot of time."

"Maybe," Miles said slowly. "But that wouldn't have been the right thing to do."

Helga stopped. "You know," She said to no one in particular. "I'm starting to see the family resemblance."

---

Ahead, Rhonda was already at a pay phone. "Yes Daddy, I'm back, and I'm just fine! You know what? I've been thinking. I only ever really wear one outfit! I want to donate all my clothes to the poor! I'm going to make the underprivileged extra fashionable this year…No, this isn't a joke…No, I don't have jungle fever…Hello?" Rhonda clicked on the button. "Hello, Daddy?" She hung up and smiled at Nadine. "It'll just take him awhile to get used to the new me."

"I'm sure it'll take all of us a while." Nadine smiled back.

---

Arnold caught up with Helga and slipped his arm into hers. "It's been one crazy adventure, hasn't it?"

"Mmm hmm." She agreed. Arnold looked down at the blue carpeted floor, his face melancholy. Helga noticed. "What's wrong?"

"Uh, nothing."

"Oh no you don't." She stopped. "Something's wrong, now spill it!"

"It's just that…well…" Arnold sucked in his breath rapidly. "My parents want to take me to Europe for a few years." His eyes were sad. "They figure this is best way to get to know me. So we can bond."

Helga felt her heart break apart and bleed.

"I'll be back!" He smiled hopefully. "And, uh, we have until summer, so…"

"Here," Helga slipped off her bow. "Take this."

"What?" Arnold pushed her hand away. "Oh no, I couldn't."

"C'mon, Arnold." She said with a sly grin. "You've always liked my bow, 'cause it's pink like my pants." He hadn't a clue what she was talking about. He reached up on top of his head and pulled off his cap.

"If I take the bow, you have to take my little blue hat." He said.

"Arnold!" Helga protested weakly. "That's your special hat!"

"And I want to give it to my special friend." He leaned forward and whispered in her ear. "My best friend." Helga's heart immediately healed and began to sing.

"Well, Football Head," She joked. "You're going to have to do something about that bald spot." She rubbed the place between his hair. He giggled; it tickled.

"C'mon, Arnold!" Stella called. "I can't wait to get home and have a big bowl of your Grandma's Miso Soup!" She pumped her biceps and added, "Warrior strength!"

Arnold laughed softly. To Helga, he said, "I'm going to miss you."

"You be sure to write!" Helga kept a stone face so she wouldn't cry.

"I will," He squeezed her hand. "Now's let hurry up! Miso Soup sounds good to me too!"


	28. Epilog

Epilog:

---

The night air was humid and thick; summer was coming. In one small boarding house on Vine Street, though, the weather didn't matter. It could rain ducks for all the inhabitants of the brick house cared. They were a complete family.

"Good night, Arnold." His mother pulled the covers up to his chin.

"Sweet dreams, Son." Added Miles. "You've done us proud. Tomorrow, we can play catch!" At the door, he switched off the light. "We love you."

"Thank you, Arnold." Stella whispered.

"I love you, Mom. I love you, Dad." Arnold ended the sentence with a yawn. His head drooped into the cool cotton of the pillow.

Outside the room, Stella watched the boy sleep. She began to softly croon through the door an old song she had treasured in her heart for almost ten years:

_"Lullaby and goodnight_

_Go to sleep, sweet Arnold._

_Know we love you more each day_

_While you sleep and while you play…"_

---

Tada! Well, it took me two years to write it, and I couldn't be more proud! Thanks for all the positive reviews and helpful hints! May Arnold hold a special place in our hearts always.

MeganKoumori AKA Peapod Kid


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